


More Human Than Human

by Teddybears



Category: From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Gore, Codependency, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Diabolical Richie, Drug Abuse, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Heavy Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not Beta read but no one is gonna die like men we're gonna live like wonderful human beings FOREVER, Possessive Behavior, Season 2 & 3, Seth Gecko Has Abandonment Issues, Spoiler: is gonna end in a wholesome way fitting to the plot/characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:53:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 37,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26993218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Teddybears/pseuds/Teddybears
Summary: “Where did you even get the ropes from?” Seth rambled, blurting out anything to drag his mind out of the gutter.“Kidnappers Kroger? Amazon for Advanced Perverts? Culebra starter pack? Did it come with a free chloroform sample?” Seth huffed, trashing around. Trying to create momentum to throw him off. Or hell, get one leg free so he could kick that smug face off of him. But all it accomplished him was to make a difficult situation even harder.“We could’ve done this the easy way, Seth.” Richie chided readjusting his glasses, shaking his head slightly, as if he was explaining himself to a child.“But no, you have to do things the hard way,” He scolded, lowering himself further down Seth’s body, half twisted himself around then began tying up his right foot to the bedpost as well.
Relationships: Richard Gecko/Seth Gecko
Kudos: 15





	1. Act 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!  
> This is a revised reupload (of chapters 1& 2). I had posted this on my second account (InsatiableWriter), for personal reasons, but I've been having a lot of trouble with my accounts, so I decided to hell with it and upload it on my main one.
> 
> This is my first work in this fandom, especially in this niche corner of it. I was challenged to write something I hadn't written before. This specific pairing being one. They're as close as they are in the series, but not blood-related or otherwise (as in step-siblings/adopted). I would like to add that I don't condone any of this IRL, this is a work of fiction and should be treated as such, same as for the violence/blood/gore/weapons use. 
> 
> Unlike the series (with Malvado, Tanner, Carlito, Kisa, Richie, Kate) there will be **NO** non-consensual and/or dubious consent whatsoever in this work.
> 
> That being said, this was supposed to be very dark and grim. I have no idea where a lot of the fluff came from, I honestly don't. But this is just act 1, act 2 is going to blow everything out of the water and act 3 will wrap everything up in a wholesome way, because 2020 sucks enough already so no need to pile on haha.
> 
> I (still) don't have a beta, so if there are any mistakes I apologise. I truly hope you enjoy reading this work of mine, because I really love writing it! Title is from White Zombie's song.
> 
> Without further ado

The dial tone resounded off the cracked speaker of her cheap burner phone. The call got forwarded to the voicemail. Wondering if anyone would listen to those these days, though Richard was old so he probably would. Kate gnawed on her bottom lip; mind made up. The moment the beep sounded she rattled off, “Richard. I don’t know where you are. Lord knows you haven’t made a single attempt to contact us. You’ve left him a mess, and I am done picking up the pieces.” She paused, inhaling softly. “I’m _so_ tired and I have enabled him for too long. I’m leaving, tonight. It’s your turn to take care of him.” She paused briefly, looking up through her lashes at Seth with pity. “I don’t think he’ll be able to survive this much longer without you.” She finished her semi-rehearsed monologue then proceeded to end the call. She quickly fired off a message including the address to the weather-worn motel they were currently hiding at.

  
Seth was draped unconsciously on one of the single beds, his extremities dangling lifelessly off the mattress. His cheeks were hollowed, his skin had a grey hue to it, and overall, he looked like he’d been through the wringer. Kate sighed and went to grab a wash cloth from the bathroom. The dirty yellow TL-light flickered on and off as she held the cloth under the stream of cold water. She made her way to Seth, lowered herself beside him and started to gently wipe the grime off his face. Seth groaned slightly and mumbled something under his breath. It sounded a lot like Richie’s name, but she couldn’t bother any more with figuring out what he was saying whilst he was high off his damned mind. A development that had recently become a part of his daily routine, all day long, probably just so he could keep _him_ off his mind.  
  
  
_Co-dependent, selfish assholes_. She thought bitterly, done with their shit.

  
That night Kate packed her bag, took her share of the bonds, and with a last lingering look on the ever-unconscious prick she left him behind. The phone burned a hole inside her jeans. Not because she was expecting a call, but because Richie hadn’t texted anything back. Again, not acknowledging their existence. She had taken the liberty of taking their beaten getaway car with her. Seth had enough money to get him around. That’s what she kept repeating to herself like a mantra whilst she left the motel like a coward in the dead of the night, leaving Seth, behind in the rear-view mirror.

_  
You’re no better than Richie,_ mentally she reprimanded herself, squeezing the steering wheel until all the blood had drained from her knuckles. She kicked the gas pedal. Thinking that, maybe, if she drove away faster, she could escape the hollowness that was carving itself into her chest with every mile she was putting between them. Maybe she could outrun the shame and guilt that was choking the oxygen out of her lungs. If she kept on driving and kept on going then there never would be enough time to think, or to feel, anything.

_You’re no better than Seth.  
  
_

-

They had been casing one of the meat suppliers when Richie noticed the little notification on his phone out of the corner of his eyes. It indicating a missed call from an unknown number, showing a text, and one new voicemail. He shoved his phone back into the inner pocket of his suit. It was not the time to get distracted. Besides normally he would’ve turned his phone off entirely during stakeouts, helped him to stay focused. Santánico was distraction enough as it were. Whoever they were, they could wait.

  
By the time Richie had remembered the voicemail and the still unread text, three days had gone by. Hearing Kate leaving Seth behind in a compromised state had stopped him dead in his tracks. Kate had endless patience and she had chosen to stick by Seth’s side, even though Seth could be an overly controlling, thick-headed prick. For her to leave him now meant something really fucked up must have happened. Worse than being held hostage, used to cross the border, and end up at the Titty Twister.

  
He had gotten into a fight with Santánico afterwards. _“He is a grown man, he’ll be fine. We need to stay on mission.” She’d told him impatiently, arms crossed in front of her chest in a defensive manner.  
  
_  
Taking on the same stance like every other time she had assumed when Richie had made a slight adjustment to their plans. Which never failed to get on his nerve. _Don’t be an insufferable idiot_ , her body language warned. They were supposed to be in this together. But she was in this for the revenge, that much she’d made clear, and well… he was in this because _this_ was his newly found way of life. He had been transformed into a new species, elevated from ‘dissociative’ or ‘crazy’ Richie to a culebra, feeling more himself than before. However, no matter how much it seemed as if they were working side by side like a unified organ towards the same goal, they weren’t. Richie had thought that they had a single mission, though Santánico seemed to be working on her own diabolical agenda, and was dragging Richie along with her. Whilst humouring him to believe he was still the master mind behind their carefully laid out plans.

  
Richie wasn’t a fucking idiot. He knew when he’d been put back in the passenger’s seat, sitting shotgun, like a good little dog following orders. Before her, Richie hadn’t dated anyone else, not in a serious manner anyway. This was his first real relationship, but surely it wasn’t supposed to be like this? It wasn’t supposed to feel like this, was it? She had infiltrated his mind before he even understood what was happening to him. Lured him to her lair and whispered irresistible promises into his ear. Making him genuinely fall in love with her and it had been so easy for her. Her beauty was compelling and her words were definitive. She had spoken to a part of him that had been starving for that kind of attention, like a man lost, wandering in the excruciating and unforgiving heat of the desert. But as time progressed after he had set her free, he started wondering whether he was serving as mere cannon fodder to her. A means to her end. He knew that she cared for him, she did, but it wasn’t in the same way he had come to care for her. She wasn’t in love and if Richie was being frank with himself, he didn’t think that she had it in her to be in love anymore. Not after everything that she’d had to endure from the men in her life. Therefore, he couldn’t blame her, but it had broken something inside of him nonetheless. Feeling much like the people he fell in love with, never did love him back.

  
For a while there he had truly been blinded by the tantalising feelings, she had awakened within him. Making him think that she knew him, better than anyone else did, and that she saw his true worth. Saw his cunning mind and brilliance for what it was, for seeing the bigger picture, and for not categorising him under the file marked crazy. That was the easy move, one that everyone else made on him. They merely glanced at him, not even properly pausing to look and take him in, _all of him_ , and simply labelled him as insane. The whack job of the notorious Gecko duo. For years he had yearned in silence for someone to look at him, at _all of him,_ and to truly see _him_. Accept him, not just tolerate him because that was convenient or the right thing to do. Throughout the years, Seth had seen glimpses of the true Richie, hidden behind the walls of deception he had put up. Always knowing that in order to blend in, he needed to hide away most of himself. Dressing himself up with his carefully and intricately composed camouflage, wearing it easily as if it was his regular suit.

_  
“This isn’t you! Say it!” Seth had pleaded with him, having him shoved up against the door and held in place by his hands wringing into the expensive fabric of his suit. His eyes were begging him, desperate and needing to hear the lie._

_  
“It isn’t me,” Richie had replied, only to appease Seth. But the words had felt like gravel in his mouth and rung untrue. No, he couldn’t keep up the deception. Not with Seth._

_  
“It is me,” the confession had fallen so freely from his lips, like it had been inevitable, as if his mouth worked of its own accord. Seth had looked crushed and a part of him was still putting up a fight, drowning in denial. But he didn’t speak another word. Seth just held on to him tightly, hand clasped behind his neck. Probably needing the physical comfort to quell his inner turmoil. Richie had stood still and allowed Seth to take his comfort. Though a part inside of him was screaming, feeling crushed at the revelations. Wanting to scream at Seth and punch him in the face with so much force, that Richie had had to physically stop himself. Balled his hands into tight fists, until his nails had dug painfully into his skin, piercing through, and drawing blood.  
  
  
‘It is me, Seth!’_

_  
‘Can’t you fucking see?_

_  
‘Why can’t you accept the real me?’_

_  
‘You’ve seen me so many times,’ his inner voice had yowled miserable and angry, every statement and question gone unspoken._

_  
‘I pieced you back together time and time again. I washed the blood off you, took your wounds gently and treated you with any kindness I had.’ He conceded grudgingly._

_  
‘I killed him for you!’ He nearly confessed his darkest inner secret._

_  
‘Why can’t you love me too?’_

_  
The back of Richie’s throat had been burning, tears left unshed, and he’d been successful in keeping every confession and question at bay. And so, he had stood there letting Seth take his comfort. Whilst in his mind’s eye he grabbed a shovel, dug a hole six feet deep, and he buried that part of himself right there. No matter, Seth hadn’t abandoned him. Not after seeing Richie at his worst, as he had been losing his mind, slipping further and further away. Seth had done what he always did, he’d stuck by his side._

-

After the fight with Santánico he had up and left. Speeding down the highway like a madman. Ignoring any and all traffic lights, speed limits and signs. Taking sharp turns that made the wheels squeal deafeningly. Irately he shoved his eyeglasses up into place, which had slid down his nose whilst driving over one of the many bumps on the road. With his right hand he clutched onto his phone, dialling Seth’s number, irresponsible driving be damned. His calls kept being forwarded to an automated voicemail. He floored the gas pedal, the engine roared harshly and lines on the road became a blur.

  
By the time Richie had made it to the motel, set in the middle of absolute fucking nowhere, the sky had turned oil black. Thunderous clouds were inching closer. Richie hurried out of the car, wanting to stay ahead of the rainfall that was bound to pour at any moment. He showed the employee at the front desk Seth’s photo and got sent to room 106. Richie didn’t bother knocking on the door, he flung it open, eyes scrutinising every inch. Seth’s clothes were strewn haphazardly in every which way, a used needle was on the ugly bedspread and another one tossed aside beside the bed. _Dammit_. Richard made a beeline for the bathroom, taking a deep shaky breath, needing to check there just in case. The only sign of Seth he found there was the foul smell of vomit coming from the bathtub, he turned on his heels and left the room.

  
Rain was pouring. Dark clouds blanketing every inch of the night sky. Richie’s suit was soaked through and through, his hair clung to his forehead, his glasses were dripping with water and were useless to his sight. His exhales formed visible fog in front of his face. It was fucking freezing. On the corner of the street situated left of him he saw a half empty bar, music thumping loudly whenever its doors opened and closed when a visitor entered it. He noticed the partially darkened alley beside it, it was void of any sign of life. Something about it felt off. Walking further and deeper into the alleyway he didn’t see anything noteworthy but an enormous dumpster. As he made to turn back around, however, his eyes fell on a pair of worn boots barely visible behind the dumpster. Rain was flowing profusely off its lid, forming a giant puddle underneath it. Vaguely he could distinguish the tangy scent of blood in the air. Richie quickened his steps until he was full-on running. His breath hitched in his throat the moment he saw the lifeless figure behind it. He stopped dead in his tracks, his stomach lurching. _No!_ Richie fell to his knees in front of him. The disgusting puddle of rainwater intertwined with cold blood invaded his trousers, soaking him further.

  
“Seth!”

  
“Seth, wake up!” Massive hands shook his shoulders, trying to evoke a reaction out of him. As he had gotten closer, he noticed cuts and bruises running all over Seth’s body. He had taken a brutal beating. The left side of his lips were busted, blood was oozing from it. His cheek had coloured black. Richie took Seth’s hands carefully into his own, terrified to even touch him, trying to warm them up, and noticed that his knuckles were raw and bleeding. To top things off a needle was still half stuck in his right arm.

  
Pure panic hit him like a freight truck, crushing his body under its weight. Richie slapped him across the face, yelling Seth’s name, though he remained unresponsive. “No! Don’t do this to me!” Richie pleaded, trying to awaken him. _Fuck! Please!_ “Seth don’t you fucking dare leaving me.” His chest squeezed painfully. Throat feeling like it had been ripped out and shoved through the garbage disposal. Hurting from screaming Seth’s name. Just once he had chosen a different path and it had resulted in this, the possibility of losing Seth, he couldn’t bare it. Not after the way they had parted. The near paralysing fear of Seth dying on him forced Richie into action. Gone was the panic; replaced by immutable and unflinching determination. Hastily he shrugged his jacket off and placed it around Seth’s shoulders, took the needle out, untied his own tie and wrapped it around Seth’s arm. Richard checked his neck and the rest of his body for any trauma before he lifted Seth off the filthy, gritty, asphalt and up onto his shoulder. Holding one arm and one leg across his chest and the other draped over his shoulder across his back. Richard whispered reassurances to the limp body whilst he made his way back to the Mustang. Promising to make this right.

_-_

_It was a suffocating hot sunny day, there was not a single cloud in the sky, therefore no chance of any reprieve from the heat. Richie counted the many trees that went by, tried to memorise each street name they drove by. He was sat in the backseat of an old rusty ‘80 Sedan._

_  
“This nice man is going to provide you with a place to stay Richard. You won’t be alone. Be nice and he’ll keep you.” He had been told, as his hair had been straightened out unnecessarily for him. Then she had waved him goodbye, given him an encouraging smile. That’s what the lady from the orphanage had whispered in his ear whilst she had handed him his suitcase containing all his possessions. His eyeglasses, a button up shirt, a pair of grey pants, three sets of boxers, a photo of his father and then there was his stuffed Gold dust day gecko. To him that was the most important item inside his suitcase._

_  
The vehicle drove up a long shabby drive-way, then it came to a cranky stop. The shrubs surrounding the driveway had not been tended to for quite some time. Richie opened the back door and jumped out; his legs still too short to reach the ground. As he closed the car door a piece of its egg-shell white paint chipped off and fell on the gravel of the driveway. Richie’s pulse thundered and he swallowed around a lump in his throat. Needing to think quickly on his feet, he stepped on the chipped paint and hoped with everything within him that his shoe would be big enough to hide the thing entirely. He didn’t understand why, but he knew that he would be punished if the old man saw what he inadvertently had done. The old man turned around and shoved his suitcase into his arms then started walking towards a ramshackle house. Not bothering to wait for him. Richie clutched his case to his chest and trotted behind the man._

_  
“Richard, get in here, and close the door behind you.” Came the man’s voice from somewhere within the house. Richard hurried up and did as he was told. Tentatively he approached the older man, who stood in the middle of a very humble living room, impatiently awaiting him._

_  
“That is Seth,” he pointed towards the scrawny kid standing across the living room. Hazel eyes seized Richie up, stance rigid, as if he was holding his breath. He was a head taller than Richard, without a doubt a couple of years older as well._

_  
“He’ll show you around. You boys are gonna share a room. You both better behave.” He finished decisively, his tone left no room for any further discussion or questions._

_  
“Seth, you know the drill.” He waved a dismissive hand at them as if that was all the explanation this Seth kid needed, and without further ado left. A moment later the sound of the front door opening and closing could be heard. Which for some reason caused Seth’s entire posture to change, as if all the air and tension had gone out of him. At six years old, Richie knew that he was not going to have an easy time staying here._

_  
“Hey! I’m Seth, what’s your name?” The older kid spoke up as he walked up to him, holding out a hand, and smiled toothily at him_.

_  
“Richard.” Richie replied looking up, eyeing Seth’s raised hand a second longer than necessary before he shook it with his own. Richie made sure his grip was firm and tight, as tight as he could squeeze. Sending the message that he was not easy to mess with. He might be smaller than Seth, but Richie could hold his own. His other hand still held rigidly on to his suitcase._

_  
“Ouch, Jesus kid!” Seth huffed pulling his hand away from him and shaking it loose, eyeing him weirdly. “You’re intense.” He stated then proceeded to walk towards the tall stairway._

_  
“Come on then! I’ll show you around before the old man gets back.” He motioned with his head for Richie to follow him. Richie followed him towards what was called ‘their room’. Said room was almost bare, it had just the necessities, with nothing to spare. It smelled of damp wood and fungus. Dark yellow traces of water ran down one of the walls. Seth pointed to the small, and only, bed in the room, telling him that it was Richie’s. Richie had raised an eyebrow at him in question.  
  
  
“I have a mattress.” Seth explained with an airy smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes, he pointed towards what was supposed to be a mattress. Something in Richie’s stomach ached at Seth’s expression, but he didn’t understand why. Was Richie taking over Seth’s bed? Seth was older, was he going to be kicked out soon? He wondered if that was all that they were, a pay check until they got too old to be useful. To be kept around._

_  
Richie went towards said bed and laid his suitcase on top of it. He started taking out all of his items and put them in their shared closet. Better not to get too attached to the older kid then, Richie decided._

_  
“What’s this?” Seth’s voice came up from behind him, smiling broadly, holding up Richie’s stuffy._

_  
“Put him down!” Richie yelled, noticeably shaken, and upset that anyone but him was touching his gecko. “Did no one teach you not to touch other people’s stuff!” He huffed angrily, moving to snatch it away from him._

_  
Seth’s lanky arms and legs went rigid at the comment, he eyed the gecko sadly then tossed it on the bed, and without saying another word turned around and left the room. The door banged closed behind him. It was only then that Richie realised what he had said, and that maybe no one had taught Seth as much, because he was in the same boat as Richie was. Forced to live in the house of some old man who had taken them from an orphanage. Promising a better life, but at the end of the day was just in it for the cash he’d get out of it._

_  
-_

_It had been six weeks since Richie had moved in with the old man, Jameson, and Seth. As the days had passed a lot of things had started to change. There were small changes at first, but gradually things became worse, until ‘worse’ had become their new normal.  
  
  
First, Jameson loved to keep them on their toes. He’d make up weird drills, awaken them at 4:00 AM and have Seth and Richie compete with one another. Most days Richie had difficulty with waking up so early, so he’d end up having to take a freezing cold shower. Because Jameson only turned on the water boiler when he saw fit. Which was from 4:00 AM to 5:00 AM. But Richie suspected that he’d turn it off way before that, just to teach him a lesson. _

_  
Second, the old man’s mood could switch without warning or cause. Like the disturbance waves in the Atlantic atmosphere, sometimes causing it to intensify into horrendous hurricanes, and destroying most everything in its path until it would eventually fizzle out. As if it had never been there in the first place, but the wreckage proving otherwise._

_  
Third, that terrifying hurricane of unconstrained anger was almost always headed Seth’s way. Whenever something, inevitably, went wrong Seth would always take the blame. Even if Richie had been caught red-handed, Seth would always protect him by telling Jameson that it had been Seth’s plan to slip out past their bedtime. To grab something to eat from the fridge when Jameson had been too drunk to remember feeding them anything. To read Richie one more story when it was way past their bedtime. To break into the zoo, pretending to be part of someone else’s family, because Richie had an inexplicable fascination with lizards, especially the geckos. Seth never blamed him for any of it or got angry with him. Frustrated, yes. But never angry. Sometimes he would physically hide Richie’s body behind his own, shielding him, from Jameson’s drunk ire._

_  
On a night way past midnight Richie was awoken by Seth, limping into their bedroom, his movements were slow and jittery. He was trying to be quiet as to not awaken him. Richie turned around, Mr. Gecko clutched to his chest and held up his cover in plain invitation to Seth. Seth took the hint and climbed onto his bed, the shitty mattress dipping down under their combined weight, causing them both to roll towards the middle. Seth hissed, as one of the loose springs jabbed into his rib cage. He jostled around until he could lie down comfortably. Richie eyed him silently and after a long while asked, “What happened?” Big blue eyes searching Seth’s face, holding his breath._

_  
It took Seth a moment before he could reply, swallowing drily. “I was reassembling the Glock, but I was so tired. I couldn’t— I couldn’t beat my previous time.” He whispered his throat rough._

_  
Richie didn’t reply, nothing he could say would make his hurt go away. He looked down for a second, then handed Seth his stuffed animal. The only thing he had left from his mom, before she had passed away. Seth eyed the stuffy somewhat distrustfully, probably remembering the last time he had held the stuffed lizard, but after a moment took it appreciatively. And clutched it to his chest. The sentiment went unspoken between them. Richie pressed his forehead to Seth’s before closing his eyes, chasing a dreamless sleep yet again. Seth had felt tense against him, though after a long while he finally eased up, letting out a deep sigh and closed his eyes as well. Welcoming sleep._

_  
After that night something had shifted in their dynamic. Unspoken. It was no longer Richie against everyone else. Richie no longer kept Seth at arm’s length, quietly dreading the unavoidable day Seth would be thrown out of the house. It had become them against the world. Richie would patch Seth up. Wash the blood off cuts and scrapes. Clean and bandage him up. And as time passed, he became obsessed with coming up with ways to prevent Seth from being on the receiving end of a beating all together. His mission had become to play interception; like the Saharan dust storms thoroughly piercing and killing the hurricanes._

_-_

_“You uh, you ever find that beach and blue agave, you let me know. Maybe I’ll come join you.”_ Those were the last words Richie had said to him. To which Seth had scoffed softly, telling him not to bother. The look of utter betrayal and devastation clear as day in his eyes. Even though Richie had stayed behind with Santánico, something inside of him had cracked irreparably in that moment. Having Seth look at him like that, like Richie was just like everyone else, no better, and perhaps even worse. It had cut deep into him, but at the same time he had needed to stay behind. He had promised to help Santánico and he had made sure that Seth had gotten everything he had wanted, the big score. Everyone had won, hadn’t they?

  
Richie had carried Seth’s limp body straight into the bathroom, then laid him down on the ground. Made quick fucking work of cleaning the previous mess up, before picking him up again and lowering Seth into the bathtub. He let the water tap run, filling up the tub. He hadn’t bothered with taking Seth’s clothes off. Despite the fact that Seth had been out in the cold for god knows how long, his skin was feverish, he was burning up. Richie sat beside the tub, holding up Seth’s head with one hand and wiped the crusted blood off his face with his other hand. His hands were shaking, reeling from the condition he had found Seth.

  
For a moment it felt like old times, Richie patching him up in the darkness and silence of the night. A moment of tranquillity and solitude that had settled over them, in which they were hidden away from the world, just for the night.  
  
  
Once Seth’s body temperature had lowered enough, Richie took his wet clothes off then proceeded to carry him out of the tub and placed him on the bed. He then focused on taking care of all the gashes he had seen over his partner’s body. Carefully and methodically he started wiping each clean. There was an incision on the right side of his lower abdomen, two bruised ribs without swelling, busted lips, the cheek that had been black from a bruise was now swelling as well, and then there were the wounds on his knuckles. Richie gently bandaged him up. He carefully opened Seth’s mouth, examining the buccal membrane, and noticed that the swelling was caused by a bite trauma. Luckily, he had no fractured or missing teeth.

  
Afterwards, Richie rifled through Seth’s bag until he found clean clothes and started dressing him, before laying a thin cover over him. He filled a glass with water and laid it on the bedside table. He dragged one of the dining table chairs towards the bed, loosened the top two buttons on his shirt, then sat himself down. Only then he noticed that he was shivering all over. His own heartbeat and breathing were too fast, his glasses were fogged up. There were hot drops of water trailing down his face, though he himself was freezing. His soaked clothes still clung to him uncomfortably. Somewhere in the farthest corner of his mind it dawned on him that he was very likely crying and was probably hyperventilating. Richie ignored that part. He couldn’t afford to take his eyes off Seth for even a second. Not even when his phone’s shrill ringing evaded the dead silence of the room. He just took it out of his inner breast pocket, turned the thing off and tossed it aside. He bent down, lowered his elbows on his knees, and hid his face in his hands. He was a goddamn mess. 

-

It took him a day and half to finally wake up. He was hurting all over. His throat was dry as hell. His muscles were spasming and cramping up. His goddamn head felt like it was going to explode any second now, and the fucking room would not stop spinning, only to tilt sideways and back. _Fuck!_ What he hadn’t expected was to hallucinate Richie, sitting at his bed, like it was his fucking deathbed. Looking something akin to concerned. _As if._ He thought bitterly to himself.

  
“You’re awake.” The Richie hallucination uttered somewhat breathless, pure relief flooding across his usually stoic features.

  
“Here,” he said gently, bending over towards him whilst holding a glass of water to his lips. One of his hands snaked under his head and assisted him as Seth took a grateful gulp, downing the thing in one go.  
  
  
“Easy,” Richie chuckled softly at him; one side of his lips pulled up in genuine amusement.

  
When Seth’s throat started feeling less like an overly used piece of sandpaper, he started to take in his surroundings. “Where’s my stuff?” He frowned sitting up wringing his eyes with the palms of his hands, not finding anything in his usual hiding spot. “Where’s Kate?” His gaze finally came to rest on the hulking mass sitting beside him, scrutinising his every movement.

  
“Well?”

  
“Kate left.” Richie replied, his face once again morphed into its usual mask, void of any human emotion. _Well fuck, he’s not human anymore. He’s one of them. Goddamn bloodsucker._ Seth thought to himself, a note of bitterness and hate creeping into his thoughts, his blood running cold with the realisation. _Snake wearing Richie as its skinsuit._ “Where the hell is my stuff, Richard?”

  
“Stuff? Is that what you're calling heroin now? What the hell were you thinking? I got rid of it, all of it.” Richie huffed, still not picking up on the sudden change in the atmosphere. Before Richie had any time to process what was about to happen Seth was up and swinging his fist at him, it connected harshly with Richie’s jaw.

  
“Fuck!” Seth hissed stumbling away, losing his equilibrium, and fell down on one knee, his hand screaming in agony. He shook his hand and only then noticed the crispy white bandage wound around his knuckles, it started bleeding red. His wounds reopened.

  
“What the fuck!” Richie huffed, standing tall, eyeing him like he had any goddamn right to be upset with Seth. He was stupid enough to make a move towards Seth, attempting to help him up. Seth didn’t want his help. Didn’t need his help or him. So, the minute Richie’s hands were on him, Seth grabbed him by the lapels of his infuriating immaculate suit, pulled him even closer and kneed him. Richie went down hissing out a breath from between his teeth. Teeth grinding together audibly. Before Seth could do any more damage, he was pummelled into the ground. All of his breath got punched out of him. His rib cage howling with pain. It caused stars to explode behind his eyelids. His hands fell on the floor. He had lost the ability to process anything but the pain shooting through him like lightning. His every nerve ending was on fire. Richie didn’t leave it at that though, the fucker was lifting him up and throwing him down on the bed, before Seth had even the mind to fucking inhale. Let stand take in what was happening.

  
“What the fuck are you doing?” He asked with half a mind, still reeling from being tackled by a six-foot-one culebra. His answer came in the form of his left hand being pulled up above him and tied to the left bedpost. Which made him trash even harder.

  
“Goddamn it, Richie what the fuck do you think you’re doing!” Seth hissed, gnashing his teeth in absolute rage. He reared back his free hand and swung at Richie again. But before there was any chance of impact his fist was caught in mid-air, by an aggravated Richie, who was visibly trying to regain control of himself. A lock of his perfectly slicked back hair now hung loose in front of his forehead.

  
“Thanks for making this that much easier,” he finally said in answer, a cruel smile pulling at his lips. With that admission, he straddled Seth, pressing him down into the mattress as if it didn’t require any effort on his part. Seth sucked in a deep breath through pursed lips, trying very hard to ignore the jolt of electricity that raced down his traitorous body at having Richie sitting on top of him. A mere couple of layers separating them. It reignited the scorching fire within him, heat pooling at his core. Making him shiver feverishly at every point of contact between them.

_  
Fuck. Focus!_ He berated himself, still partially squirming under Richie’s heavy weight. His cologne was intoxicating, it made him want to close his eyes and just breathe him in. Just for a second.

  
Richie brought Seth’s captive hand down right above his head and started to tie that one up as well. Seth hadn’t noticed that he had allowed himself to close his eyes. He looked up at Richie, swimming in the ocean that were his eyes.

  
“Where did you even get the ropes from?” Seth rambled, blurting out anything to drag his mind out of the gutter.

  
“Kidnappers Kroger? Amazon for Advanced Perverts? Culebra starter pack? Did it come with a free chloroform sample?” Seth huffed, trashing around. Trying to create momentum to throw him off. Or hell, get one leg free so he could kick that smug face off of him. But all it accomplished him was to make a difficult situation even harder.

  
“We could’ve done this the easy way, Seth.” Richie chided readjusting his glasses, shaking his head slightly, as if he was explaining himself to a child.

  
“But no, you have to do things the hard way,” He scolded, lowering himself further down Seth’s body, half twisted himself around then began tying up his right foot to the bedpost as well. The amount of moving and the unintentional friction it caused to his body made him flush hotly with embarrassment. His pulse was beating so fucking fast that Seth had no doubt that Richie could probably hear the pathetic sound of it. Fuck, how he wanted to caress that free lock of hair out of his face. It started bringing up certain type of feelings Seth had curbed and dealt with a _long_ time ago. He couldn’t afford losing Richie because Seth couldn’t get a fucking handle on himself. Richie was his partner in crime, his best goddamn friend, and the person who had been always there for him. He couldn’t fuck this up. He bit harshly on his cheek and the intense bolt of pain that went through his skull was enough to shake him out of his forbidden thoughts. With all the inner strength he could muster, he continued to put on the show he had always put on.

  
“Fuck you!” He bit out, pulling his arms to test the restraints and see if they would give if he tugged hard enough at them.

  
“You wish,” Richie replied with a wolfish grin, as if he had seen right through Seth’s bullshit. _Fuck._ There was no way. Could he feel anything from where he was sitting on Seth’s lap? _No way._ He was just being the cocksure culebra he had transformed into.

  
“You gonna play Annie Wilkes with me now?” Seth spat, struggling even harder, trying to get angry. Angry was good. It was really fucking easy to focus on that. Richie ignored him though and went on with tying him down, until every limb was tied up. Once he was done, he got up and off the bed, and without another word left the motel room. Seth let out a scream in utter frustration, which only led to his throat aching even more so than it did before. In his petulant fit of anger and the rush of adrenaline pumping through his veins, for a brief moment he had forgotten all about his injuries and the agony his body was enduring. But just as the door had slammed shut after Richie, leaving Seth behind once again, the dam inside him cracked. Had Richie really left, leaving Seth tied up to a shitty motel bed, injured and high off his damn mind?

_He’s gonna come back. He's gotta... right?_ His thoughts were starting to spiral.

_  
What if he doesn’t? Probably shouldn’t have punched him, he deserved it though._

_  
Prick did patch me up._

_  
As he has always done._

_  
What if he’s driving back to her, done for good? He never has a problem with leaving…_ and the spiralling went out of control. Tremors worse than before ran through his body. He felt fucking cold, but he could swear that he was sweating. His cheap, too-many-times-worn, clothes clung to him. Had it just been minutes or had hours passed? Or days?

_  
_ When Seth came to, he didn’t know how long it had been or what had happened to him, the only thing he felt was excruciating pain, and the need for another hit. He needed to get high like his cells needed oxygen. He needed to forget. Just like he was forgotten. To numb the pain. The inescapable need and the promised escapism after a quick hit made Seth groan out loud. He swallowed audibly around a lump in his throat.

  
“Shhh... it’s okay. I’ve got you,” A familiar voice whispered huskily from behind him, roughened from disuse. Seth finally opened his eyes, which served as a feat in and of itself. He noticed that he was laying on his side, his limbs untied. A firm arm was wrapped around his chest, snaked under his own arm, and held on tightly to him, as if he was something precious enough to be held in such a manner. Only then did the warmth and presence of someone else behind him register in his head.

  
“Richie?” Seth uttered quietly, part of him afraid that if he made any sudden movements or was too loud that it would cause Richie to disappear. Turn out to be a pitiful hallucination pulled from Seth’s desperate mind.

  
“I’ve got you, Seth. You’re almost there, it’s a short walk now,” The hallucination reassured him softly, his thumb caressed the tender flesh of his chest. The gesture was too much. Seth turned around without thinking, needed to check for himself, and no longer able to face away from him. His body didn’t agree with him though, protesting with every goddamn inch he moved. His eyes fell on Richie, his glasses were removed, as was his tie. His suit taken off. His features were relaxed and soft. It was just Richie. Not the too put together and confident as shit façade Richie so easily cloaked himself with. Just Richie.

  
Something behind his sternum ached raw at the sight before him. He swallowed harshly, trying to get his goddamn shit together, because the sight of his partner in crime should not turn him into a mess. The hallucination in front him morphed, Seth grabbed the gun Richie had kept in his trousers at his lower back on auto-pilot. A part of him knowing that it was one of the places Richie carried his gun. Seth’s breathing and heartbeat started to race. He was on the clock. His eyes laser focused on the task before him. His hands were already disassembling the gun on muscle memory. He needed to hurry up. Sweat was trickling down his forehead and his hands were clammy. He was starting to lose focus on what he was doing, let stand see what he was holding. He wiped the sweat from his eyes when suddenly, he noticed that there was blood tainting his hands.

  
“What the fuck!” Seth exclaimed, pulse thundering, and wiped his hand down. Then suddenly the parts of the Glock he had laid out in front of him morphed into bloody chopped up pieces of muscles. All parts of an organ. He picked up a piece, shocked at what he was seeing and holding. It felt still warm and the blood stuck to his hand, Seth panicked. He looked up and saw Richie, pale and motionless. As his eyes scanned him, he noticed a giant hole carved into Richie’s body, the soft skin of his chest brutally torn and bleeding. His goddamn heart was extracted.

  
“No! No, no, no!” Seth cried picking up the tender pieces of muscles and tried to put them back together. Tried to undo it. Undo him dying.

  
“Hey! Seth! Look at me,” Richie’s caress of a voice broke him out of his nightmare, making him look up. Dilated pupils searching Richie’s brilliant blue ones, needing the reassurance.

  
“Oh my god!” Seth cried again, his hands clutching onto Richie and pulling him impossibly close. Hiding his face in the crook of Richie’s neck. Feeling sick to his stomach at what he had just hallucinated, bile started rising up his throat burning his oesophagus in its path. When Richie’s arms wrapped around him and held him too fucking gently, like he was afraid of touching Seth, really holding him, Seth broke down. He begged Richard for a hit. Just one. To ease the pain. To forget. But Richie just held him tighter, his left hand placed at the nape of his neck and his other arm wound around his lower back, whispering affectionate promises into his ear. He held him until Seth had calmed down, his breathing had slowed and until he was almost asleep on his chest to the sound of his loving whispers. And they hurt. His words and promises felt like a knife carving further into him. Because they sounded too believable. Spoken too sincerely. Like it wasn’t a fucking front they were putting up for one another, like so many other times they had. Seth always needed him, and Richie would always give in. Seth felt like he was balancing on the edge of insanity. Just one more inch, one more word, and he would tipple over.

  
In the end none of those promises or whispers would matter. Seth was still on the clock. Not to reassemble his Glock. No, his time with Richie was running out. Richie would leave, it was just a matter of time now. Seth figured they both sucked at keeping promises, which was fair enough. Seth had promised a big, final score, sitting on the beach with blue agave, and sipping cocktails for the rest of their lives. Richie had promised to stay, that it was them against the world, the Geckos, and that they would stay that way. Because it had never been about the scores, right? But the biggest promise Seth had failed to keep had been to protect Richie at all costs.

  
Seth would never forget the day he saw the skinny little shit, six years old, holding a suitcase as he walked into their living room. Not a backpack or trolley or whatever the fuck it was kids should’ve had, but a fucking adultlike suitcase. With his too big for his head eyeglasses resting on his nose, fixing Seth with defiant blue eyes. Daring him to mess with him. Seth knew then that he would do anything to protect the tiny human, with eyes that saw and understood way too much than was normal for his age. Seth had taken the beatings and punishments from the old man, thinking it would be enough. He had planned job after job to get them by, hoping it would be enough. Even when he had been in prison, he had made Vanessa and uncle Eddie promise to keep an eye on Richie. But Seth’s protection would never be enough. All along the way he had been losing him, piece by piece. Job after job. That goddamn voice in his head had become his confidant, not Seth. It had cost Richie his life, his humanity, and the ability to ever lay beside him on the promised beach. To Seth it had cost him Richie.

  
Their promises had meant jack shit. Every breath he took now felt like another grain of sand slipping down the greedy hourglass. Seth swallowed the hurt and shoved it deep inside and away. The moment Richie would leave, he’d get his beloved fix and be too fucking high to care, too numb to deal with any pain. As if sensing this, Richie ever so lightly placed a soft kiss on top of his head, pulled him closer to his chest and wrapped one of his long legs around his, tangling their legs together in a wonderful mess. It sent a painful surge of pure want through him, short-circuiting his brains.

_  
Fuck you for abandoning me._ Seth thought on the brink of a mental breakdown. 

_  
For choosing her._ Despite his train of thought he held on tighter to Richie, his fingers digging into the fabric of his dress shirt and breathed in his heady cologne.

_  
Wasn't I enough? I’d do anything for you, you dick. Even if it means letting you go, no matter how much it kills me on the inside._ His admissions remained unvoiced, and Seth didn’t know if he had it in him to ever say them aloud. Absolutely terrified that if he did, Richie would leave, and Seth was too selfish and weak to deal with that shit again.

  
“Go to sleep, Seth. I can hear you thinking,” He chuckled softly, the vibrations of it running through Seth’s upper body where they were connected. “Promise, I’ll be right here,” Richard whispered against his temple; his lips warm and comforting as they moved against his skin. Seth’s only response was a soft cynical chuckle. He did close his eyes though. Was he insane for still wanting Richie to go all _Misery_ on his ass? For wanting to stay in this very moment, in Richie’s embrace, safe from his anxiety in the dead of the night. Where he could indulge his most private fantasy, wherein Richie was just his. For the moment, their bodies had created a protective layer between them and the cold unforgiving exterior of the outside world, set on creeping in. Invading their moment of seclusion. Regardless of doing his best to stay awake and to cherish these rare hours, of them together, like an expensive drink that needed to be savoured, all too soon Seth had fallen asleep.

  
With the arrival of dawn and the inevitable separation that awaited them, Seth’s protective walls were all raised back up. He was no longer jonesing for another hit of heroin. Seth winced at the foul taste in his mouth, really needed to get up and brush his teeth. He couldn’t remember when it had been the last time he had done as much, and it left him feeling disgusted with himself. It was too early, but he got up anyway and took a long and much needed shower. Afterwards he brushed and flossed his teeth. It made him feel much more like himself. Once he had put on his boxers and a shirt, he went to lay down on the bed. His body still ached.

  
The thought of having to let go of Richie crept back in his head, it made him jittery. Heavy anxiety weighing down on his chest. He didn’t think that he had it in him to let go of him, again. And before he could get a grip; his entire mood had changed. Pent up anger from before reawakened within him and coursed through his veins. Starting to take permanent residence inside of him. It wasn’t fair or rational. He shoved Richie’s sleeping mass off him like he had been burned. Knowing that if he pushed him away first, before Richie had the chance to do anything, Seth would have the upper-hand. At least this time get to keep his damn pride. Richie grumbled a bit annoyed and proceeded to lift his arm and pulled Seth back against his chest.

  
“Richie, get the fuck off!” Seth hissed, his voice still a bit hoarse from sleep.

  
Richie had woken up and he looked alarmed as he became aware of the sudden shift in Seth’s demeanour. A glint of vulnerability and shame passed his eyes for a split-second. Seth would’ve missed it if he hadn’t been staring at his sleep addled face. Which he wanted to punch and kiss simultaneously. Seth had officially fallen off the wagon.

  
“What? Fuck. I’m sorry, Seth,” Richie stumbled to get the words out rapidly, seeming completely unsure of himself. He looked like a cornered animal, either about to bail or to attack. His arms were crossed in front of his bare chest, as if he was shielding himself. From the verbal onslaught he was bound to endure from Seth probably. The atmosphere filled with tension so thick it was making it difficult to breathe.

  
“Spare me the bullshit apologies okay,” Seth cut him short, holding up a hand to keep him silent, “I guess I should thank you for giving a flying fuck, after Kate forced you into coming here. You’ve done your part; you can take your leave again. I’m sure Santánico wants her lapdog back.” He fired and it was below the belt, and he knew it, but he couldn’t stop himself. He wanted to twist that dagger into Richie’s heart like he had done when he’d basically told him to fuck off after all the shit they’d been through. _“Maybe I’ll join you.”_ He’d said _._ Keyword being: maybe. Even that had been a shitty half-assed promise. After all the shit Richie had put him through to pull _one_ fucking job, which in the end had turned out to be two different jobs. Them getting double-crossed by that asshole Carlos. Losing their big score in the process, Richie being beaten and taken. And to top things off Richie ditching him for Santánico. Yeah Seth was livid alright.

  
“Now you’re just lashing out, Seth. Being petty isn’t a good look on you.” Richie drove the dagger right back, his features contorted into a mask of indifference, a sinister glint darkening his irises. Richie’s entire posture had changed. There wasn’t anything open or caring about him anymore. He was sitting up straight, muscles taut in anticipation, his gaze cold and calculating. In that moment he was more serpent than human. Ready to strike the millisecond Seth lowered his guard, go for his jugular.

  
“Petty?” Seth spat indignantly. “You know what isn’t a good luck on me, Richard? Giving a shit about you. For years I’ve put myself through hell and back, quite literally might I fucking add, just to watch you lose your damn mind and go on a killing spree.” Seth pushed at his chest, got off the bed to put some distance between them. “Remember our deal? Just one last job. Then we’d be done. Uncle Eddie was fucking right.” Seth shook his head, pacing the room as his anger consumed him.

  
“Guys like us just talk about quitting one day and finding paradise. The only thing we’re going to find is death, and from where I’m standing you’ve already beaten me to it.” Seth delivered the final blow, chest heaving harshly, his stomach coiled.

  
“I’m not dead, Seth. I’m still here, aren’t I?” Richie pointed a thumb at himself, standing up and facing Seth right on.

  
“Are you? All I’m seeing is a fucking snake wearing my partner as its meatsuit.”

  
“I’m still me!” Richie huffed, hurt bleeding into his features. “I’m just no longer your number two, Seth, and you can’t handle it.” He admitted, all the fight had suddenly left him, but there seemed to be more to it that he wasn’t saying.

  
“Fuck you!” Seth replied unintelligibly, jaws clenched tightly together, his hands balling into fists. “No, you know what I can’t handle? You actually believing that I’d ever put you in the goddamn second place, when everything I’ve ever done was for you.” _Because I can’t fucking breathe without you._ The confession was pulled from his lips before he could think better of it, and shut his fucking mouth. Horrified with himself, he held his breath as he awaited Richie’s reply. Trying to read his body language for any signs that he’d gone too far. He’d said too much. Richie was going to beat the crap out of him and leave without saying another word. Any second now.

  
Before Seth had registered the abrupt movement, Richie had pounced on him, crushing their mouths together. It was breath-taking and nothing about it was graceful. It was rough, scorching and Seth’s beard was bound to leave Richie with a burn. Seth groaned, trying to push Richie off of him, but somehow managed to pull him even closer. He tugged at Richie’s hair, forcing him to change the angle and to let up. Which only made Richie growl against him, putting the full weight of his massive body on top of Seth, and pressed him down into the mattress. The moment their lips parted, Seth gasped for air, gulping it down gratefully. His cheeks red and burning with desire.

  
“No fangs. No shifting. How far do your scales go down anyway?” Seth demanded still sounding rather breathless, unable to control that part of him that still felt the need to push back.

  
“You asking if I have scales on my dick?” Richie shot back unabashedly, lifting himself onto his elbows and scrutinising Seth’s face.

  
“Why don’t you turn around. Maybe I’ll let you find out.” Richie’s voice was gruff like he could barely control himself from shifting already. His arms were placed on either side of him, keeping him in place. Heat pooled in Seth’s stomach at the rumble and commanding tone in Richie’s voice. Seth did as he was told and rolled onto his stomach. Swallowing harshly, throat dry all of a sudden.

  
Richie snatched the pillow from under his head, causing him to protest against the sudden offence. Richie ignored him and proceeded to press down on him, though he was characteristically careful of Seth’s bruised ribs and injuries. Richie’s mouth found the sweet spot on his neck, sending shivers down his spine; in turn causing his breath to hitch in his throat. He kissed him feverishly and sucked on the ticklish skin. Seth moaned at the sensations invading his senses. Suddenly very aware of Richie’s hardness pressing against his ass. With each kiss that he left on his throat causing heat to pool in his stomach. Richie’s hand found its way into his hair, fingers wound tightly around the locks and he gave a sharp pull, causing Seth to groan loudly. His head tippled back in the angle Richie wanted him.

  
His mouth latched onto the soft skin of his bare throat, without a doubt marking him. The unspoken threat of Richie being able to bite down, pierce the very same place his fangs had already punctured once, sent a deep yearning through him. The foreign need for that specific sensation shocked Seth, made him flush all over in embarrassment and want. Richie ground his hips down onto his demanding his attention. Seth moaned at the friction it caused him and the promise of what was yet to come. Hands squeezing the bedsheet.

  
“Richie,” he whimpered breathlessly, not knowing what he wanted or what he was asking here.

  
“Fuck, do you have any idea of how wrecked you sound?” Richie rumbled into his ear, nibbling on the tender flesh of his earlobe. Drawing unintelligible sounds out of Seth. Without warning Richie’s incredible heat and weight lifted off him. Seth groused at the loss of contact. Richie, however, had other plans. Not allowing Seth to process anything, he ripped Seth’s shirt off of him then continued to his boxers. He removed them, lifting Seth’s hips up whilst doing so, his movements were almost clinical. Seth gasped at being completely exposed in front of Richard. Skin flushing crimson.

  
“Jesus,” he gasped, his breathing was too fast and his heart was beating a painful rhythm against his rib cage. Richie lifted his hips up, again, placing the pillow he had stolen earlier underneath him. Properly propping him up. The slight friction of that stole an involuntarily moan out of Seth’s mouth. It was all too much and so not enough at the same time.

  
“Richard please!” Seth pleaded for anything and everything. Needing to feel him on him. Skin on skin. Richard made quick do of pulling his own clothes off, standing completely bare at the foot of the bed. Staring down at Seth with that intense gaze of his.

  
“You going to stare all day?” Seth complained half-heartedly, turning to his side, only to have his mouth go completely dry at the sight behind him. Naked Richard was a sight to behold. He was standing tall, broad shoulders beautifully filled out, hair a tussled mess. Making Seth wanting to run his hands through it and fuck it up even more. Make him come undone. Richie wasn’t overly muscled and it turned Seth on even more. Fuck, he needed friction like yesterday. Richie allowed him a second to look at him before he was lowering himself on top of him, flashing him a wolfish grin. His movements poised and effortless. So unlike how he used to be; desperate in search of ‘seeing’ into the other world. With his well-intentioned actions accumulating into horrific acts and countless murders. But this side of him was different. Richie had grown into himself, exuded confidence.

  
Seth’s position made him feel vulnerable all of a sudden. He had been fantasising about this a long time ago. But didn’t know if Richie felt the way he did. Or whether Seth was merely another quick fuck. It wasn’t like Seth hadn’t had his fair share of one-night-stands or hook-ups with men and women. Sometimes even both after a lucky night out. But there was a reason he had never tried anything with Richie. Never let on how he felt or how much he desired the asshole. The restraint he’d put upon himself to never risk that shit, risk losing him. Loving him from afar. He had been man enough to deal with the pain of watching Richie fall in love with Santánico, try his first shot at a real relationship with her. Hell, Seth had married Vanessa as a way of moving on. Tried the picket fence bollocks for a second. But this shit was next level. If it turned out to be a hit-it-and-quit-it, it was going to rip his fucking heart out. And Seth wasn’t going to do anything to stop it.

  
“Turn around,” Came the command. Richie returning to his spot on Seth’s neck, as if it was his, it made him groan a little with annoyance. He needed satisfaction. Richie’s tongue trailed down his throat. His hand holding Seth’s hips up on the pillow and his other arm caressed along his leg. His touch was almost feather-like; moved excruciating slow up his hip and up towards his stomach. Fingers trailing the soft happy-trail on his stomach. Seth expected him to finally touch him where he needed him the most, but Richie’s fingers came to rest on his nipple. Fingers squeezing hard, blunt teeth biting down on Seth’s shoulder, and his hips ground down on Seth’s. The triple attack left him a quivering mess with anticipation. He was burning up. There were so many sensations invading his senses all at once, and yet it still wasn’t enough. Heat pooled inside him, his cock was leaking precum on the sheets and he was rambling incomprehensible nonsense to Richie. Richie’s hardened cock pressed against his core, and it caused Seth to buckle his hips up involuntarily.

  
“Keep still!” Richie breathed into his skin, tone imposing. His hand left Seth’s sensitive nipple, which made him miss the sensation already.

  
“Richie please!” Seth whimpered needing to turn around. His movements earned him a hard slap on his ass, making him gasp in pain, sucking in a deep breath. His cock becoming painfully hard. Anticipation was building heavily inside of him. The unpredictability of Richie’s actions was driving him mad with lust.

  
“I said keep still, Seth,” Richie warned, his tone final. He lifted himself up, sitting back on his haunches behind Seth and before Seth knew what was happening, he felt a warm and wet tongue teasing at his entrance. Fingers were kneading the flesh of his ass delicately, while his tongue trailed a tantalising path up his core. Seth’s entire body was shaking. He felt feverish, sweat trickling down his back. He could feel his pulse, hear it even. As Richie licked into him, his eyes rolled back in his head, a loud moan was torn from him. When Seth didn’t think he could wait any longer, a long thick digit entered him, turning him speechless. Richie took his fucking time teasing him, opening him, and working on him until Seth was ready for more. It felt like hours had passed, Seth was only capable of making indiscernible sounds. His hands fisted tightly into the sheet as Richie worked a third finger into him. Though he didn’t let him adjust for too long before he removed his fingers out of him. Seth cried out at the loss and the sudden emptiness he felt.

  
“You have lube?” Richie’s rough voice asked from behind him. Seth pointed towards his duffel bag. Richie was up and off him within the blink of the eye and was riffling through his stuff. Once he’d found the lube he walked back, like a predator stalking its prey. He opened the cap and squeezed a generous amount on his fingers and then some on himself. He smoothed the liquid over his own hardened length, gave himself a couple pumps before he positioned himself behind Seth once again.

  
“Turn around,” Richie sounded wrecked, despite his stoic demeanour, proving he was just as affected as Seth was.

  
Seth complied, but a part of him really wanted to be able to see Richie, to be able to hold him, grip onto him. But Richie wasn’t allowing him, leaving no room for it. Perhaps this was all he was willing to give Seth. Seth wasn’t kidding himself; he was willing to take anything Richie was willing to offer him. Knowing he was going to be left an absolute goddamn mess later on. Maybe this was a way to pass the time for Richie until dusk. Shit, if that thought didn’t sting. Seth gasped for air, suddenly his lungs aching and constricting. Richie mistook his body language as a reaction to the coldness of the lube. He retracted his fingers, but Seth’s hand shot out of its own accord.

  
“No, don’t,” He pleaded, voice sounding raw and needy even to his own ears. He held Richie’s hand tightly in his own and brought it back onto his own skin. Where it had been burning its path on his skin. Richie didn’t say anything this time and let Seth control his moves. He lifted Seth’s hips up again, causing Seth to flush again, despite this being the umpteenth time he had done that. Then proceeded to line himself up.

-

Richie was burning up. Part of him couldn’t believe that he was getting to touch Seth intimately. To feel him, kiss him and do all the sinful things he had daydreamed about for _years_ to him. Countless of times, wanting, but never daring to risk it. Richie wanted to be gentle with Seth, he wanted to slowly take him apart and then put him back together. To taste every inch of him, and memorise every fucking detail on his body. Learn what would make him tick. Ruin him. Blow his mind. But he knew Seth wouldn’t take kindly to that right now. Not in his current state of mind. He was so fucking angry with him. Richie had never had Seth’s rage directed towards him. It was something else to be on the receiving end. So, he was going to give Seth, the Richie Seth thought he wanted. Rough, authoritative, and controlling. Barely anything like Richie liked to be around Seth. He could be all of those things. He wasn’t two-dimensional, for his personality was multifaceted. It wasn’t either the culebra or Richie, he was both. All parts of both, the brilliant, reliable prodigy, a master thief, a protector when the few people he deeply loved needed him to be. But he was also a ruthless, cunning, and cold-blooded predator. Always tipping the balance of his humanity.  
  
  
Seth wasn’t ready to deal with all of that, not yet. His mind still tended to divide him into the Richie _before_ Twister and the culebra _after_. _‘Snake wearing Richie as its skinsuit’_ as Seth had described him so eloquently. And fuck, if that hadn’t wounded him deeply. If _this_ was what Seth thought he wanted from him, then this was what he was going to get. But Richie had a plan, an endgame. He was going to show and prove to Seth, what they could be together. How Richie would _really_ treat him and love the shit out of him. But Seth wasn’t going to just take Richie’s word for it, especially not now. Words weren’t going to be enough, he needed to evidence it with his actions.  
  
  
Richie slowly breached Seth’s entrance, just pushing the tip of his cock in. Seth groaned out hoarsely, his heat tightened almost painfully around him. His back arching. He felt fucking incredible. Richie placed one hand on his back and pushed him down and held him there. Seth was beautiful. The side of his face rested on the mattress, his arms were splayed above his head bracing himself, with his ass propped up. The strong lines of Seth’s muscled back were mesmerising, flexing uncontrollably under his palm. Richie pushed in a little further into that intoxicating heat of his and earned a soft gasp being torn from Seth’s lips. Sweat had formed on his eyebrows from the amount of restraint he was performing on himself. Seth was intoxicating and Richie wanted nothing more but to push further, fill him up to the brim until there was nothing left but them. Connected in ways no one would ever be, not like them. Not wanting anyone else but him connect like this with Seth. The thought alone made him growl.

  
“Jesus Christ, Richard would you fucking move already?” Seth half begged; half demanded. Sounding shaky and almost desperate. Seth's free hand wormed its way underneath himself. Richie let out a hiss in warning, snatched Seth’s hand back and held it firmly on his lower back. Without warning he thrust into him in one long swift move, until he was fully sheathed, and he pressed his full weight down on Seth. Holding him down. He waited until Seth had gotten used to the sensation. Until his muscles had relaxed. Richie ran his free hand over the rugged planes of Seth’s back, caressed along his shoulder and up to the nape of his neck. Resting his hand at the tips of Seth’s hair, which was a little on the side of too short to truly get a grip on. Though long enough to tug if he pleased. At Seth’s shameless whimper he started moving his hips. Pulling out almost entirely only to roll his hips up and fully back into him. Seth’s body suddenly went extremely rigid underneath him, a heavy moan escaping him.

  
“Fuck! Please, Richie! Do that again,” Seth begged voice half muffled, as Richie fucked into him, pace unforgiving. Once Richie had found that sweet spot inside him, he aimed for it like it was a bulls-eye. Wanting to hit it with every thrust and roll of his hips. Half bent over, he embraced his own weight on Seth's shoulder; thrusts becoming jerky and erratic. Richie was breathing harshly, so close himself, chasing ecstasy. Drowning in the scorching heat of Seth. His own muscles spasming. Before either of them was over the edge, Richie opened his eyes, leaned back, and tugged on Seth’s hair whilst he wound his arm around Seth’s hip. Pulling Seth back flush against his own chest. Seth’s weight resting on him. With his free hand he pulled Seth’s face towards himself and claimed those addicting lips of his possessively. Tongue licking into his mouth forcefully, tasting him, and intertwining their tongues. Nipping and biting on his lower lip, causing Seth to gasp breathlessly. Seth tasted minty and something sinful that was truly him, along with his heady scent, causing Richie to lose his damn mind. Short-circuiting his thoughts. The urgency with which he kissed him increasing and managing to pull a soft moan from him. The thrum of sweat-soaked skin slamming on skin and harsh throatily moans flitted through the silence, creating their own personal obscene melody. 

  
At the same time as he was licking into Seth’s mouth, his right hand had held tightly onto the base of Seth’s cock. Preventing him from coming just yet. Seth clutched tightly onto his arms at the restricting sensation, whimpering against him with wanton need, body quivering uncontrollably. Richie rolled his hips upwards a couple more times, hitting that sweet spot inside of him that was now _his_. As he was about to come, Richie pumped his fist tightly along Seth’s weeping cock. Hand matching the rhythm of his thrusts. Sending them both over the edge at the same time. With a final thrust he came inside Seth, stars exploded behind his eyelids. Seth fell to his hands and knees on the bed breathing heavily, Richie followed him.

  
Not ready to pull out.

  
“Fuck!” Seth gasped out breathless, laying down on the mattress and pulling Richie along with him.

  
“Just did,” Richie replied with a shit-eating grin, from behind him. His hand caressing Seth’s shoulder, trailing aimlessly down his back. He was too exhausted to lift himself off Seth. Seth’s response was an honest to god laugh. Richie’s whole being ached at the sound, it had been so long since he had last heard him laugh so freely. So carelessly. He couldn’t help himself as he bent his neck and placed tender kisses on every available surface of Seth’s delicate skin. Seth was wearing so many marks of Richie now. Richie loved the sight, loved his little private artwork, just for _them_ to see.

  
“Richard, clean me up,” Seth demanded. Richie had to physically force himself to detach his limbs from Seth’s in order to get up. In the process he pulled out of Seth, making them both hiss at the ache on their overly sensitised skins. Richie trotted into the shabby bathroom, not bothering with putting any clothes on, grabbed a washcloth and held it under the stream of cold water. He walked back into the room and lowered himself down onto his knees. Sitting beside the bed.

  
“Seth, roll around,” He spoke softly, patiently waiting for Seth. Seth lifted his head slightly, opened one eye and just took him in. He looked absolutely wrecked and Richie loved the breath-taking sight of him. He swallowed audibly. Seth’s hand came to rest on his cheek gently, his thumb caressed Richie’s lower lip. Richie gave him a small smile, almost shy in nature. He wasn’t used to seeing this side of Seth. Of having him look at _him_ like this. Seth rolled to his side, his hand not leaving Richie’s face. Richie set about cleaning Seth with the washcloth, carefully cleaning the planes of his stomach. Seth’s hand had wound into Richie’s hair and was gently running through it, his eyes followed the movements, as if mesmerised. Richie closed his eyes, allowed himself to enjoy the moment. Once he was done with Seth, he cleaned himself then tossed the washcloth aside. Seth pulled him back onto the bed. He lied down, facing Seth.

  
“Turn around,” Seth told him softly, his gaze causing heat to pool in Richie’s stomach. Richie did as was asked and rolled over to his side, back facing Seth. Immediately, Seth placed one leg over his and coiled his arm around Richie’s chest. Finally, he rested his head against Richie’s neck, breathing him in and placing tender kisses on him every so now and then. Richie closed his eyes; exhaustion had taken over him.

  
Reality came crashing down, hard. One second, they were wrapped around one another, boneless and blissed out. The next, the windows of the room exploded in a shower of sharp glass all over them. A shadowy figure was aiming a shotgun at them. Richie gripped onto Seth for dear life as he flipped them over and threw them on the ground; just as the intruder had cocked their shotgun. Another ear-piercing shot resounded through the room; the mattress on which they had been laying a millisecond ago was blown to smithereens.

  
“Fuck!” Seth hissed; his arms covered his head. Richie’s ears were still ringing as he had gotten to his feet lightning-fast and dragged Seth into the adjoining bathroom with him. He slammed the door shut just as another shot punched a hole in the wall beside the wooden door, where Richie had just been standing.

  
“Who the fuck is that?” Seth asked him, as they both jumped in the tub, getting on his tiptoes to wrench the narrow window open so they could get the fuck out.

  
“The regulator,” Richie replied none too pleased with the direness of the situation they found themselves in.

  
“Again, who the fuck is that?” Seth exclaimed, still not understanding who they were dealing with.

  
“No one we’d want to stay around. We need to get out!” Richie rapidly replied, pushing Seth to the side, and shattering the window open. He then continued to lift Seth off his feet and flung him out, just as there was a hole blown into the wooden door. Shards and pieces of wood flew through the air.

  
“Richie!” Seth yelled from outside, sounding something akin to terrified. Richie was in the process of getting out himself, when he felt a giant knife piercing the skin of his upper thigh. He hissed out in pain. Seth grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him out the rest of the way. He fell down none too gracefully on top of Seth.

  
“Well this is fucking great,” Seth huffed, trying to throw Richie off of himself then hurried to drag him away from the window of death.

  
“Seth, shut up!” Richie said on a pained exhale. “We need to hide.” He ground out from between his teeth. His leg was bleeding badly. They were both naked, with no weapons, no keys to Richie’s car, no wallet, no nothing. They were fucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Constructive criticism and/or feedback is much appreciated! ^^


	2. Act 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Shh… I need ya to know that this isn’t personal, just business.” Richard gave a semi-apologetic shrug for good measure then lightly squeezed the trigger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi dear reader!  
> This chapter is really plot/angst-heavy, and it is long. I'm usually all for the showing and not telling writing style, but there came a point where I had to change tactics. So if some paragraphs read like that, its because they're meant to.
> 
>  **Minor trigger warning** : there is a question being raised about whether something that, in the previous chapter, was dub-con or not. In case you'd like to skip that part I've added ******* at the start and at the end of the paragraph. I thought I'd add this just to be on the safe side, in case it is triggering for some.

“Kay, here’s what we’re gonna do. I’ll distract him. You get back in there and get our guns and we’ll blow this motherfucker a new one.” Seth instructed, his hand holding Richard’s forehead against his own.

  
“Got your balls on?” Seth asked raising an eyebrow, his fingers trailing the tips of Richie's hair absentmindedly.

  
“Screwed on tight,” Richie replied, a wicked smile lighting up his features. Seth had gotten to his feet and was off, running towards the gunfire. Richie used the wall behind him to slither back up to his feet, wet, cold, grime clung to his skin. The gash on his leg was still bleeding profusely. _Huh, that’s new._ He hurried in the other direction, gunning for the room. Or well, whatever that was left of it.

  
A sharp, resounding blast pierced his eardrums from somewhere behind him, he heard Seth screaming, followed by a loud thud. Richard hoped that the idiot hadn’t gotten himself knocked out or worse shot. Richie hastened his steps, hurried back into the room with renewed determination. He scoped the room, caught the tip of the barrel of a sawn-off shotgun under a pile of junk underneath the bed. Richie grabbed it and rested it on his shoulder as he set about finding ammo. He rifled through Seth’s duffel bag, found enough ammo to lay waste on the asshole that had dared to mess with them. Seth’s Glock was duck taped underneath the rickety dining table. Now he just needed to get his hands on his semi-automatic from the Mustang.

  
Suited up, eyeglasses in place, with guns at the ready and enough ammo to wrack carnage he stalked out of the room. Amped up to level the playing field. As he got closer to the sounds of bullets cutting through the air, with seemingly no actual target, he noticed Seth trashing on the ground behind an orange pick-up. The regulator on top of him, pummelling into Seth with one fist and holding off Seth’s gun with his other hand. Leave it to Seth fucking Gecko to use the bastard’s own gun against him.

  
Richie got close enough, lifted one forearm to steady his aim, sawn-off barrel raised and cocked as it rested on his arm, he fired at the Regulator’s head. Boom. Smoke and the sharp scent of gunpowder saturated the air. It missed. Just as Richie had shot the bastard had moved, just out of his aim, with his retrieved shotgun out of Seth’s hand. He was crushing Seth’s windpipe. Seth’s legs were kicking desperately, trying to gain leverage in vain. Richie ducked out of the way just in time as the shotgun, that had been used to choke Seth mere seconds ago, was now blasting at him. Seth managed to punch him in the face, screaming out in agony, the sound of bones getting crushed thundered through the air.

  
“Ah! Goddammit! Richard, little help here!” Seth hissed; his voice strained from pain.

  
The second Richie had dodged away, he had made a run for the Mustang. He snatched the metal chains from bellow the passenger’s seat and ran back to Seth as fast his legs would take him. Seth was really looking worse for wear and was just barely holding the guy off. Another hit and he’d be knocked into oblivion. His face was contorted in pain and was fucked up. His hand was broken. He was bleeding a lot, due to the multiple gashes on his naked body. The shitty asphalt damaging his delicate human skin further.

  
Richard snaked up on the culebra from behind and before the asshole had a chance to notice his presence, he flung the metal chains around his head. It caused him to finally lose his momentum, he clutched onto the offensive metal that was cutting off his air supply. Richard threw Seth’s shotgun into his ready and already raised hand then snatched his own colt from his trousers. He stepped back, jerking the regulator’s head back with him by harshly jerking on the chains. As if on cue they both aimed their guns at him and shot him, emptying several rounds in the bastard. Blood and pieces of torn tissue smacked them both in the face. Gradually the remains started to burn up from the inside out. Leaving nothing behind but a pile of ashes and Richard’s chains. Seth was gasping for air, his throat marred with purple and black welts. Seth’s shotgun slipped out of his hand and landed on top of him, making him jerk violently, tossing the scorching and still smoking weapon aside. “Ah!” He hissed out through his teeth; features contorted in pain.

  
“Helluva timing, Richard, shit!” Seth breathed harshly, head thudding back on the asphalt from exhaustion, his eyes falling shut.

  
“Thank you, Seth. I do take pride in myself for being punctual. It’s great that you’re finally able to acknowledge it as well.” Richard grinned devilishly at him, then immediately shrugged his jacket off and covered Seth’s naked body with it. He continued to wipe the blood and tissue pieces from Seth’s face with his thumbs, his movements careful but putting enough pressure to actually get it off.

  
“I was being sarcastic ya little shit,” Seth huffed back in annoyance. Richard burst out laughing at his response, Seth looked so miffed, it was hilarious. _So easy to rile up._ Richard thought to himself, still snickering, “Oh, I know,” He spoke whilst carefully pulling Seth up into a sitting position, “Oh and, Seth, a little secret,” He continued, his voice taking on a more serious note.

  
Seth gave a half-grunt that was meant to coax him on, though he was still frowning at him. “Between the two of us, you’re the little shit here.” Richard informed him straightening up his shoulders, gazing intensely at him, he wrapped one arm around Seth’s middle, one hand clasped around the nape of his neck, and pulled Seth into his embrace in such a manner that drove his point home.

  
“Shut up, Richard,” Seth sounded slightly breathless, feigning irritation, though his Adam’s apple bobbed as he gulped audibly. Hazel eyes evading Richie’s scrutinising stare that saw right through him.

  
Richard closed the space between them, until there was barely any room left. “Make me,” Richie whispered tauntingly against Seth’s gasping lips. Noticing how his pulse had elevated. Richie let the moment linger a little longer between them, basking in on the effect he was having on Seth. But before Seth could move or form an answer, he’d gotten to his feet and was lifting Seth up with him, placing Seth’s arm around his shoulder and supported his weight by wrapping his own arm around Seth’s lower back. Seth heaved a sigh and leaned into him.

  
“You okay?” He asked after a brief pause, not feigning his sincerity this time. He knew and could very clearly see that Seth was anything but okay. “Peachy.” Seth responded with a curt nod as he clung to him.

  
“You stopped to get all dressed up while I was getting my ass handed to me out here? Ya prick!” Seth groused whilst Richard was walking them back towards the motel room, ignoring his own badly bleeding leg. Yeah, Seth was going to be just fine.

  
“There was no sense in both of us fighting butt-naked. I got here as fast as I could.” Richard explained, pulling more of Seth’s weight onto himself when he noticed that he was limping.

  
“He was here looking for you.” Seth informed him, though his voice was starting to sound strained again.

  
“Why, what did he say?” Richard asked, manoeuvring them into the room and helped Seth sit down on the only chair that was still left standing. The room looked like a scene out of a war zone. They needed to leave pronto.

  
“Fuck if I know. Was too busy not getting shot in the head or choking to death.” Seth replied throwing an arm in the air in utter frustration, as if it should have been obvious. “’sides he wasn’t exactly the talkin’ type.” Seth added. Richard acknowledged the statement with a tight-lipped smile and gave a non-committal shrug.

  
“You look like shit. Let’s clean you up,” Richard said instead, getting down on his hunches in front of him.

  
“You don’t look too hot yourself.” Seth rebuffed, his hand came up and held onto Richie’s face. Eyes scrutinising him, wearing a pensive look.

  
“I’m fine. Didn’t hear you complain back there.” He lied, nodding his head towards the ruins of the bed. But Seth saw right through it. An eyebrow quirked up at him questioningly, silently daring him to lie again.

  
“It’s been a while since I’ve had a drink.” He admitted somewhat reluctantly, focusing on gently taking Seth’s broken hand in his to examine it. There were no bones sticking out, so that was good, but his knuckles were bleeding. Seth was probably hurting like hell. Richie still didn’t feel comfortable enough to talk about anything that concerned him as a culebra with Seth, so he kept his eyes cast down and kept his attention on Seth’s wounds instead. 

  
“You mean fed.” Seth fired back instantly, denying him the dignity of verbalising the matter more eloquently than it really was. Seth’s body had gone rigid under Richie’s touch, he had stopped breathing entirely. But Richie doubted Seth was even aware that he was doing that.

  
“Yes, Seth. Since I’ve fed.” He huffed annoyed, though made sure his fingers worked meticulous in their examination and softened his touch on him. “Besides, I’m not healing right. Whatever that knife was made from, it seems to be messing with my culebra healing shtick.” He further elaborated, motioning his leg with a slight bend of his head. Fingers moving to Seth’s shoulder, palpating the skin and muscles there.

  
“Well, shit. We’ll figure this out bud, we always do.” Seth patted the side of his face, trying to reassure him by smiling but it was more of a grimace.

  
“Does this hurt?” Richie asked him, suddenly terrified at the prospect that he’d been negligent of possible trauma to Seth’s neck or back.

  
“No,” Seth replied, while Richie’s fingers slid up his collarbone. “Here?” He asked, putting carefully measured pressure on his neck, to which Seth shook his head. Seth bent sideways— “Careful!” Richie warned jerking forwards in tandem with him–he snatched the roll of duct tape from the carpet, ripped a large piece of it and wound it carefully around Richie’s leg. “There, for now.” Seth added for good measure, flashing him a smile that reached his eyes.

  
“Thanks, Seth.” The corner of his mouth pulled up by a smile. Richie furthered his examination but before he knew what was happening, Seth was slumping forwards into him.

  
“Seth! Hey, Seth. Come on, wake up!” Richard patted the side of his face cautiously, trying to awaken him, though his efforts were futile. He closed the space between them. Holding his ear close to Seth’s mouth and looking down at Seth’s chest. Luckily, he was still breathing but had lost consciousness. Richard let out a deep breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding, he laid Seth backwards against the chair. It was clear that Seth needed proper medical care. Richard had no idea how Seth had managed to fight off the regulator for as long as he had or how he had managed to keep up an entire conversation with Richie.

  
Hurriedly, he had clothed and driven Seth to the nearest hospital. The nearest still being an hour and a half drive away–he’d made it there in forty five minutes. He’d floored the pedal to the metal, drove like a madman, yet again. He’d brought Seth in half panicked out of his own mind. His heart was thundering in his chest and he couldn’t appreciate the nurse’s efforts in trying to calm him down. He’d calm down when Seth was okay and back in his arms. As Seth was being wheeled in for scans, Santánico had invaded his mind, whispering to him once more. _Found our way in, get back here_. Her smooth silky voice had caressed his skull. As if she’d belonged there, making him nauseous.

  
Just then a staff member recognised him and it didn’t take long for him to realise they were the infamous Geckos, forcing Richard’s hand to deal with him first. With renewed focus Richard had closed the space between them before the guy could blink, shoved the barrel of his gun against his lumbar vertebrae, and forced him along with the nurse–whom had seen the scene unravel–into an on-call room.

  
“You got something you want to say?” He asked the staff member. To which the guy had shaken his head, swallowing loudly. His eyes darting from Richard’s to the nurse’s. Richard could hear his pulse elevating from where he was standing.

  
“Hmm, that’s funny. Cause you see, to me you looked like you just gave me an ‘I’m about to make a move’ look.” Richard said, his eyes laser-focused on him, nailing him to his spot, and closing in on him.

  
“Are you about to make a move?” Richard inquired, looking stoic as ever with hands clasped together in front of him, like he had all the time in the world. The man shook his head rapidly, fear clear in his eyes. Richard didn’t believe it for a second. He turned his head towards the nurse, without looking away he reached into his inner pocket, pulled out a custom-made silencer and twisted it onto his gun, then shot the guy point-blank. His brain along with blood splattered across the wall behind him. Making it seem like an abstract painting; an array of scarlet splatters decorating the stark white wall. The nurse screamed and had started to shake uncontrollably. Her hands covering her mouth, rather a bit too late.

  
“Shhh, it’s okay.” Richard spoke to her, his voice calm and collected, closing the space between them. He wiped a drop of blood from her forehead. “This is what we’re going to do,” he spoke softly into her ear, lowering himself slightly to do so. 

  
“You’re going to make sure that my partner stays safe. That he receives the goddamn best medical care he needs and _you’re_ going to prevent anyone from identifying him.” He told her, holding tightly onto her neck. She was whimpering softly; tears streaked down her face. Which made Richard grimace. He wiped her tears away.

  
“You’re going to do as I just told you, right?” Richard asked her, lifting her chin up and forcing her to look him in the eyes. “We wouldn’t want to put a hole through your pretty face.” He warned, waiting for her to nod in confirmation.  
  
  


_-_

_  
  
_Richard had left enough money to cover Seth’s expanses. He’d also made sure that the bonds were well hidden within Seth’s duffel, along with fifteen hundred dollars to immediately get him back on his feet. Richard had stared at the doors behind which Seth’s unconscious body had disappeared. _Fuck._ They hadn’t had time to talk. Which made it that much harder for him to leave. But he had to go. A couple of things were already set into motion, running like clock-work, and whether the timing was right to leave Seth or not, Richard had no choice. He had to get to San Antonio fast, and then to Santánico.

  
The sun had risen, golden rays lighted up the hospital, as if it was fucking holy. Richard flipped the sun and the ‘holy’ hospital the finger as he got in his Mustang, with its custom-made black tinted windows. Richie pulled a pocket square from his breast pocket, and started wiping the blood and gut leftovers from his spectacles. He switched on the radio, _The Coasters_ filling the silence.

  
Before he had exited the hospital, he’d subtly disposed the body at the morgue situated at the lower levels. Then had swiped a couple of blood bags and made a quick exit. Feeding off the body would have brought unnecessary problems with it in the long run. The taste of the bagged blood had been off. Not coming close to the rich and fiery liquid flowing through the carotid arteries. Whilst beating a tempting, hypnotising lullaby, begging Richard to have a taste. It was better than starving, Richie supposed, it had to make do. Mind over matter and whatnot. The Mustang tore through the street, engine roaring, leaving smoke and dust behind in its wake. Off towards his meeting at the car dealership.  
  


-  
  


  
Seth woke up feeling groggy and exhausted. It had taken him an extreme amount of effort to crack open his eyelids, feeling like he was awaking from a deep coma. His head pounded relentlessly; his hand hurt like a son of a bitch, its cast itching like crazy. And his body was aching in places he didn’t even know existed. Seth’s throat felt raw. His eyes roamed the room, searching for Richie, but he was nowhere to be found. Seth figured that he must have gone to grab something to eat or catch up on some z’s, or something along those lines. He moved to sit up and that was his first mistake. Excruciating pain wracked his body, punching the air from his lungs and leaving him gasping harshly. Sweat pooled on his eyebrows. A nurse entered his room, she checked his IV-bag then proceeded to give him morphine to ease his pain. Seth had been too out of it to tell her that he shouldn’t be given something that strong, or _addicting_. 

  
The next time he had woken up he had been high. And when he once again noticed that Richard was nowhere to be found he started tripping badly. Weird thoughts and all too recent fears invaded his mind sending him into a full-on panic attack. What if something had happened to him?

  
Seth and Richard were trapped inside the Titty Twister. _This isn’t how things were supposed to go_ , Seth thought aggravated, starting to feel desperate. They were supposed to arrive in Mexico, get to _El Rey_ , then everything would be fine. Richard would be alright. No more dealing with hostages, no more running, or being hunted down by _El Rinche_ , and Richard wouldn’t be slaughtering anyone again, with their eyes carved out. No longer leaving a trail of fucking dead bodies behind. Seth was sure of that. They just needed to get to _El Rey._ Then Carlito would help them out, like they’d planned. Before Seth could comprehend what was happening, he saw Richard in Santánico’s arms bleeding and hanging on by a thread.

 _  
No, this ain’t right goddammit_ , Seth refused to believe his eyes. He made to run towards him but he couldn’t move, his feet were too heavy, his movements were sluggish and the harder he tried to run the more effort it was costing him. It was like he was stuck in quicksand.

  
_‘Richard!_ ’ He had yelled, heart pounding, his breath caught in his throat. Before his eyes Richard died, Santánico held him to her chest. After what felt like an eternity, Seth finally reached him. Seth fell to his knees beside Richie’s unmoving body, jerked him out of that snake’s filthy arms, and crushed him against his own chest. All the while crying Richie’s name, holding tightly onto his dead hand. Seth wiped the blood from Richie’s face.

 _  
‘Richie’s gone Seth,’_ she had had the audacity to address to him _._

 _  
‘Don’t you’—Seth held up a finger in warning at her—‘fucking call him that!’_ He had spat back, pissed off that she thought she had any right to call Richard by his nickname.

 _  
‘Richie I’m sorry I fucked things up. You’d really like it in El Rey,’_ Seth spoke softly to him, _‘We’d have been happy there. I love you Richie, I’ll miss ya bad.’_ He went to kiss his lips when Richard’s eyes suddenly popped open. They shone golden with pupils all wrong. Seth moved back in surprise.

 _  
‘I’m glad you feel that way Seth, I love you, too.’_ Richie told him. Before Seth could reply he was being pulled down by the front of his shirt, razor sharp fangs met him. Seth did his best to pull away, yelling for anyone to help him. Suddenly he was being yanked out of Richard’s clutches by the back of his shirt. Sex Machine was there, helping him get away.

  
Everything happened fast and all at once. Sex Machine, Kate and Scott were there, seemingly appeared from out of thin air. Surrounding Richard; kicking him harshly in the head. Blood spurted out of Richard’s mouth. The sight of it gutted Seth. Richie was trying to cover his face in vain. From behind him someone smashed a chair and grabbed one broken off leg, like it was a stake, and stalked towards Richie. Seth looked up and saw the good-for-nothing, holier than thou, Jacob. What was bout to happen dawned on Seth, he whipped out his .45 and aimed it at Jacob and the others.

 _  
‘One more fucking step towards my partner with that stake, and these snakes won’t need to suck your blood, they’ll be able to lick it up off the floor.’_ Seth warned, gun cocked and ready.

 _  
‘That ain’t your partner no more,’_ the piece of shit pervert countered.

  
_‘I’ll be the fucking judge of that,’_ Seth snapped back, barrel of the gun pointing at Tanner.  
  
  
_‘He’ll kill us all!’_ Jacob yelled at him, him and his kids were still holding Richard down. 

_  
‘Shut up! Let him up.’_ Seth yelled back, flicking his gun in an upwards motion then resumed his aim on Jacob and his traitorous family. _‘Move back! All of you,’_ he yelled the command, in a voice that left no room for a reply.

  
_‘Yeah, shut up.’_ Richie repeated the sentiment, giggling while the others reluctantly let go of him and hurried away from Richie. Afraid to be in his vicinity. Richard stalked towards Seth, came to stand still behind him, his hands buttoning up his suit. Still trying to look professional, even in death.

  
Seth turned around to face Richie. He swallowed around a lump in his throat and before the realisation of his actions could sink in, his hands were moving of their own accord. Like he was a marionette and his master was pulling on his strings. His bloodied hand pushed the stake against Richard’s chest. Seth had no idea when in the hell he had gotten a hold of that damned stake. He was shaking his head violently, trying to clear his mind. But his other hand raised the .45–heart constricting painfully–hammered the butt of the gun against the stake. Nailing it into Richie’s chest. Despairing eyes sought Richie’s, horrified with what he had done, a scream was about to erupt from his lips as Richard started burning up from the inside out right in front of his eyes. By his doing.

  
Seth screamed himself awake; his heart was thundering dangerously in his chest. Tears were streaked down his face; his nose was running. The machine next to him was beeping in alarm, Seth couldn’t breathe, he gasped and gasped harshly but it was all in vain. The hospital gown on his skin along with the linen sheets were drenched in cold sweat. Clinging to him and making it difficult to move. Seth was yelling Richard’s name repeatedly whilst yanking at the sheets and the entrapping cords attached to him, only managing to punch himself on the jaw with his cast in the process. “Ah!” He grunted in pain and toppled off the bed. Still gasping terribly in order to breathe. But all the oxygen seemed to have fled the room. When the nurse came in to calm him down and assist him, he pleaded with her to get Richard instead. From wherever the hell he was. _Need Richard._ But the nurse just shook her head at him, sombre and pitying eyes gazing down into his.

  
It took him longer than it should to realise that Richard wasn’t coming. That he had brought Seth to the hospital and had left.

  
There had been no note left for him. No text message or voicemail. But what made his chest feel like it had been run through with a machete, was Richie abandoning him after what had happened between them, and forgoing taking care of Seth himself. That was something they only did for each other. Richard had always been his constant, especially when Seth got hurt. _Until Kisa_. But he had never been the one to cause Seth any pain, not like this… never like this. Seth didn’t give a shit that his hand was broken, that he had a concussion or how bad any of his other injuries were, he needed Richard to be there. He had left him at the mercy of the hospital staff, not worrying about the possibility of him being recognised, turned in to the authorities and have his ass thrown back into jail. Funny how the only thing that had kept Seth sane in jail had been the thought of being reunited with Richard. How different things then would be, and that Seth would do anything to keep them from being torn apart again. However, it seemed like he was the only one between the two of them to feel that way.

  
Seth’s hands were shaking uncontrollably as he had grabbed what was left for him of his belongings. He’d found an Inn, somewhere. Frankly, he couldn’t remember how he had left the hospital. Where he had found the Inn. How he had even gotten there. It was all hazy. His memories were muddied. Someone had tried to stop him in vain. Bottle of pills handed to him and hushed whispers, then nothing. Seth walked around numbly, with a gaping hole tearing at his chest, growing wider. A ruthless black hole, devouring him from the inside out.

  
In retrospect, Richard being gone shouldn’t have come as a surprise. In fact, Seth couldn’t for the life of him figure out why he hadn’t thought of it before. Three weeks he had been hospitalised. Three weeks of being stuck in a daze, dosed up on painkillers, of supposed healing and whatnot. A flash of memory played before his mind’s eye, the nurse telling him what had happened, how he had been brought in and that Richard had left the very same day. Not even waiting around to hear his results. Seth had nodded his head and removed himself out of the hallway. Running away seemingly aimless. Another flash of him hunched over, throwing up hospital jelly, heaving until there was nothing left but bile in the toilet. In that moment he had felt devastated. As if a building had collapsed on top of him. His inner turmoil worsened by the fact that he had known better. Deep in his gut, down to his blood cells, to every single atom, he knew that Richie would end up leaving. Shit had been too good to be true. To last. _Goddammit!_

  
Nonetheless, for a split-second–against his better judgement–when they had been lying in bed together enveloped in his gentle embrace, he’d let his guard down and allowed himself to hope. And that tore him apart. Left him feeling raw, like he had swallowed shards of glass. Seth had just been another quick fuck. That was all Richard was willing to give him. In the end it had just been a way to pass the time. Seth wasn’t fucking green to this shit, though it didn’t leave him less gutted.

  
_Get your fuckin’ head in the game._ Mentally he berated himself. _Another quick fuck and all that. He ain’t gonna drop everything for you, not when he’s got her._ Seth punched a hole through the thin wall, he kept hitting it over and over again until his hand was raw, thick blood trickling down his forearm. Rage wracked through his body and his hand was trembling. Yet again he was left gasping harshly, his chest seizing tightly as dots danced in front of his eyes before his vision gradually started darkening. Seth stumbled backwards until the back of his legs hit the bed and he allowed himself to drop on top of it. Blindly he patted the bed, once he’d found the bottle of prescription pills, he threw two into his mouth and swallowed them dry, tasting his own blood on them.

  
Days went by.

  
-

  
  
When Richie had heard that Seth had been released, he’d driven back, a loose end he needed to tie. He pulled his new sleek matte black Ford GT to a halt at the nurse’s humble abode. Richie eyed his mirror image, straightened his tie, released the clip. Eight bullets left, more than enough. He snapped it into place and got out of the vehicle, hid the gun in his slacks, where it was easy to whip out. He shoved his spectacles in place and made his way to her house, walking passed the rose bushes leading to the front porch. He knocked once on the door. The moment it swung open, he covered her mouth with one hand, “Good night, sweetheart,” he greeted, his gun cocked at her temple as he pushed his way inside. Closing the door shut behind himself with one foot. The nurse was trembling harshly beneath his hand, tears spilling down her cheeks, wetting Richie’s hand.

  
“I heard Seth left the hospital in one piece and thought I’d come by to let you know how much I appreciate your efforts,” Richie explained, leading her down the hallway. Richie craned his neck, checking the rest of the house, no one else was in sight. It was a small house with two bedrooms, Richie had reckoned as much, but felt the need to make sure anyway. Excluding her, he was good for seven more rounds, before he’d need to reload the magazine.

  
“Thank you for taking care of my partner,” Richie spoke genuinely, gazing into her eyes and needing her to understand that he was being sincere. The nurse nodded her head hurriedly, fear tainting her nurturing eyes.

  
At the response, Richard looked her dead in the eye, “Good. Now that we’ve covered the pleasantries,”—Richard made a gesture with his hand that was supposed to encompass the moment between them— “I need you to understand that in my line of work I can’t have any loose ends. And sadly, considering you’re no longer of any use to my partner’s health, you’ve become a loose end that, well, shall we say needs to be dealt with,” Richie gripped his gun more firmly, pressing it against her temple. Ignoring the wet sob that wracked through her body. He removed his glasses and placed them in his pocket.

  
“Shh… I need ya to know that this isn’t personal, just business.” Richard gave a semi-apologetic shrug for good measure then lightly squeezed the trigger. The loud thunderous boom of the shot ricocheted through the house. She collapsed to the floor, her body forming a weirdly twisted heap on the laminate flooring. With part of the skull torn off and blood forming a delicious pool around her, like a halo. Richie unconsciously licked his lips for a second, contemplating whether to have a taste or not. In the end decided against it, turned on his heels, replaced his glasses back on his nose and made his way towards the GT. The engine roared, coming to life, as he tore through the street, making his way back to Houston once again.  
  


  
-  
  
  


Seth, done with his pity party, decided to get the fuck over himself and pull a job. That always put him in great mood. Thrill of the heist. Getting away with the loot. He decided to call Vanessa, see what she was up to. Scrolling through his contacts, he noticed that her number was no longer in his phone. “What the fuck,” he muttered out loud to himself and opened his call history. Again nothing. It was as if she was completely erased from his phone. Man, he had really been on another plane. He couldn’t remember doing any of it. He threw his phone away and decided to hell with it. He swallowed down two painkillers, grabbed his wallet, and left the Inn to do some reckon. He’d pull a job. Find a car pronto and then get the hell away from this place.

  
The job he had tried to pull had gone sideways. Seth had nearly been caught, what with one hand being in a cast and his other being busted like all hell, it had really fucked up his game. He hadn’t gotten away unscathed. Christ, with all his injuries he was starting to feel like the universe’s punching bag. Seth had managed to steal enough money to get him around though. While stashing some of it in his duffel bag, his eyes fell on the weird, hard texture of something under the liner. Opening the zipper, he saw the bonds and cash hidden away there. Seth fell back on his haunches, staring at the money. Richie had left him with their payday and by the looks of it hadn’t taken any for himself either. _‘End of the road for us._ ’ It meant. Remembering Richie standing beside Kisa, telling Seth to take the money and be off on his merry way. But then why leave him with extra cash? Seth’s mood morphed into cold rage, so badly that he tore out of the room. Needing a drink or two bottles. _Or a hit,_ a sinister, yet too enticing part of his mind whispered to him.

  
Scrutinising the vacant street, Seth spotted a vehicle he could easily steal. It wasn’t the Cougar. _But who gives a fuck, Seth?_ The sinister voice inside him added on a purr. Seth entered a convenience store. Grabbed a bottle of whiskey. “Yep. This’ll work, _”_ He muttered under his breath, holding the bottle under his arm. He snatched couple bags of Cheetos and some other shit for the road. For once he paid the cashier and left the store. _This won’t work and you know it._ Seth ignored the gnarly voice that was starting to fuck with his mind, as if _Venom_ itself had taken residence inside his skull.

  
Once back at the Inn he swiped the key card through the lock, stepped into the room, flicked the switch on and dumped the provisions on the bed. From under the bottle of whiskey a pack of sour worms glared at him tauntingly. When had he even grabbed that? He snatched and flung the offensive reminder off the bed, grabbed the bottle, and spun its cap off and took a long swig. Cherishing the burn of it down his throat. So much for getting his mind off of things. He flipped the TV on and switched through the channels mindlessly. After downing third of the bottle, Seth stumbled into the bathroom. Pulled his clothes off, chucked his shoes, and staggered to the shower. He let the shower run, rested his head against the wall, closing his eyes, let the sound of the cascade of water drown out everything else.

Once cleaned up, Seth stepped out from under the shower, grabbed a towel and started drying his hair, gazing at the fogged up mirror. He swiped the condense away with one arm. Seth looked like crap, better than before but still not like he used to look. His cheeks were concave, cheekbones sharp and prominent. Dark circles were etched onto the skin around his eyes. His usual greenish hazel eyes, were dark and dimmed. His attention moved downwards to his neck, zooming in on the two little puncture marks.

**  
***  
  
**

Seth started recollecting events from before, when he’d still been admitted at the hospital. On one of the days during which he had been more coherent and wasn’t on painkillers, the nurse had taken him aside and asked him whether he’d been hurt. Seth had frowned at her. He had been injured badly enough to have had gone through surgery. She then had lowered her voice and asked him discretely if someone had forced themselves on Seth. Taking inventory of his injuries, especially the bruises and markings around his throat. How he had scratches on his back, clearly left by blunt nails, and last but not least an almost imperceptible trail of semen they had found on him when they were prepping him for his surgery. Aside from his other obvious injuries. Seth had shaken his head. Images of Richie and him infiltrated his mind, making his throat run dry. Though not because of the reasons she was thinking. He had assured her that nothing like that had happened to him. Fuck, if the conversation hadn’t been awkward as hell.

**  
***  
  
**

Seth glared at the two puncture marks. Fiery anger wracked through him, his cast-free hand clutching onto the sink, knuckles going white. _Get a fucking hit. Forget all about this shit,_ the contorted voice inside his skull baited him, _too numb to care. Remember, Seth?_

  
Seth got ready, pulled on a pair of dark slacks, black dress shirt and black vest. Attempted to tame his unruly hair somewhat then left the room. He drove through the quaint town, taking in the small shops and cafés. A tattoo parlour came into view. Making an idea cross his mind. Seth halted the car at the curb, turned off the engine, and entered the parlour.

  
Seth met Sonja.

  
She tatted up the burning reminder on his throat, blanketing it forever from sight with black ink. Asked him all about his business. Reasons why he’d gotten said tats in the first place. Seth fed her an appeasing anecdote about what had supposedly led him to getting his dumbass sleeve. Leaving out the part of having his arm burned as a kid.

 _  
Thanks to that asshole,_ the gnarly voice whispered again, the sound of it grated Seth’s skull. Feeling like sharp talons were digging and latching onto his brain. Infiltrating every corner of his mind, darkening it like a goddamn eclipse.

_  
He killed him, Seth. But he never said he’d done it for you, ya jackass._

_  
He tasted your blood. Your damn soul. Fucked you, then bailed._ The words were cut off by a sinister laugh.

_  
What is it he’d said bout your blood, oh that’s right, you taste like shit, Seth!_

  
_He used you like a fucking napkin at a barbeque. Funny how he marked, bruised, and filled you. Got his prints all over you inside and out. Yet he sauntered away untainted. Impeccable._

_  
You knew he would never love you._

_  
Forget falling in love with you._

_  
Didn’t Jameson beat that lesson into your thick fucking skull?_

_  
Get our fix, Seth. Come on, let me rebuild you._ It spoke seductively.

  
Seth left the parlour. Found an asshole to buy his beloved drugs from. Only to shut that part of himself up that was constantly on. Never fucking letting up. Maybe Seth had truly lost his mind and that piece of shit inner voice was his actual conscience. _It_ was him. Twisted, bent out of shape, and reshaped into someone else. Rather too careless, vindictive, and resentful. Someone overcome with the emotions raging inside of him like an ever growing tornado, with Seth stuck in the eye.  
  


-  
  


Richard left Santánico to train the girls they were going to use to find Malvado’s hideout. Unbeknownst to her he was driving to San Antonio once again. After Richie had dropped Seth off at the hospital, he had driven there to conduct business. Richard had done reckon to learn the owner’s routine as well that of every employee, and to observe all that went on inside the place. Said business was a thriving car dealership he had been planning on taking over. Because its owner was, lo and behold, a culebra, and that had been Richard’s in. Besides, the dealership wasn’t too small nor too big, which made it the perfect business to take over. During their meeting Richie had been _very_ persuasive–he’d used his Wayob–in convincing the culebra, Jared, to hand over the reins to him. Once he’d notified his employees of the matter Jared had conveniently left, and it was not at all because Richie had made him. Richard had put six bullets through his body that night. Alright, it might have been somewhat excessive to use that many rounds to kill _one_ culebra, but once he got going, well, he got going. Richard also had to grudgingly admit that it might have been more of a hostile take-over than a buy-out, whatever. _Semantics_. Richie returned to the joint the next day and scheduled a meeting. During which he discussed their role as the new owners, the plans for the remodelling and the future of the place. After he’d set up a deadline for when the renovations and remodelling should be done, he’d headed for their new office.

  
Richard had planned to turn over the dealership into a gallery, where potential customers could come by and view the cars then place an order online. In doing so he could protect their assets whilst simultaneously avoid raising suspicion on how they led their business from afar without physically needing to be there to run the place. In addition, they would have gained a steady passive income source and could take any car they liked for themselves. Another matter of business Richie needed to take care of was setting up a shell company for their future transactions. For which he needed to buy them fake passports and create whole new identifications. But those last two steps needed to be put on the back burner for the time being.

  
Before Richie left their new, and soon to be old, office he took a good look around. Allowing himself to take a little pride at his accomplishment. It was the first step of the many he had to take. Richard eyed the beauty he’d bought– _for them–_ from here not too long ago. He couldn’t wait to show Seth the GT, knowing his partner loved the classics, and to tell him all about his plans for them. Hell, he couldn’t wait until the place was remodelled and they got to celebrate their grand opening, and most definitely christen their cars. _Fuck!_ Richard shuddered at the thought, heat starting to pool low in his body. His temperature rapidly rising at the thought of bending Seth over their favourite model and slowly taking him apart. A wicked smile tugged on his lips as he straightened his tie, took a deep calming breath, and tried to collect himself. First things first, he had to hurry back to Houston and meet up with Santánico.  
  
  


-

Seth relapsed.

  
Seth’s nights turned into hazy forgettable blurs, losing his grip on the concept of time. One late night Sonja paid him an unannounced visit. They fucked under the hot stream of the shower. Seth had closed his eyes, his treacherous mind conjuring up images of strong calloused hands taking him apart. Incredible weight pressing him down into the mattress. Like a constant. Stealing his damn breath away with every thrust and grind of his hips. But the skin under his fingers had felt too soft and pliant. The fucking noises that reached his ears were feminine instead of the breathless grunts and growls he was so _badly_ chasing, which had left him hot and bothered at the time. A sense of pride and utter smugness had filled him at the prospect that _he_ had been the cause for said sounds then.

  
Her taste. Her feel. Her scent, sweet flowery perfume instead of the musky cologne he had gotten addicted to. Notes of sandalwood, Italian lemon, leather, gun-powder, and the rich heady scent that was specifically _his_ , god Seth fucking craved it. All of it felt wrong. Seth had come with a shudder, biting down on his lips, bruising them in order to prevent himself from moaning Richie’s name.

  
Afterwards Seth had checked and tossed the condom in the trash. He felt hollowed, like a pumpkin used for Halloween then tossed aside. Inexplicable guilt ate away at him. He had left Sonja to get cleaned up, who had said something about conditioning her hair. He hadn’t been able to care less. Seth had re-entered the room, made a bee-line towards the dresser. Grabbed the needle he had swiftly hidden from Sonja’s prying eyes. Welcoming the too familiar feeling of ecstasy. His eyes had slid closed, flashes filtered his mind. Him sitting outside on a park bench, eating a wrap whilst arguing with Richie about having messed up his order. Richie’s subdued voice was going on about wanting horchata. The weather outside was lovely, the sun was shining and a gentle breeze caressed the tips of his hair at the back of his neck. Seth smiled at Richie. Whose lips were moving–still talking, but Seth had stopped really paying attention to what he was saying–his eyes intent on Seth, lastly taking a bite out of his wrap grudgingly. Seth wanted to capture the moment, bottle it up, and relive it as if it was his personal heaven. They had been happy. Recently reunited and doing what they did best. Pulling jobs. Together. The notorious Geckos at it again.

  
Later Sonja pecked him goodbye; Seth hadn’t wanted her to stay around. Part of him figured he should feel bad about using her. But she knew what she had gotten herself into. The whole night had been a one-time only endeavour, she knew that. He had told her as much. Besides it wasn’t like he cared much anyway.

However, it didn’t end as such. For some reason she stuck around. Seth never fucked her again after that initial night. But she wouldn’t leave his side. She forced him to get sober, again, starting a prompt rehab-cycle.

  
Seth was sat down on the bed, waiting for Sonja to get ready, they were supposed to go out and get something to eat. He was flipping through the channels on the telly when breaking news flashed through the screen, their name plastered on the screen in bold capital letters. The infamous Geckos found dead. The Cougar driven off a cliff.

  
“What the hell?” Sonja piped up from behind him, eyeing him quizzically.

  
“It’s Richie,” Seth spoke on a soft exhale. “He apparently felt the need to have us killed.” Seth was unable to look away from the screen. Sonja moved towards him, invading his space, and snatched the remote out of his hand to turn the TV off.

  
“Richie’s probably up to something,” Sonja spoke, stating the obvious really.

  
“Richard. It’s Richard-” Seth ground out harshly on reflex, jabbing an index-finger fiercely at her “-you, don’t get to call him that.” He admonished, not further elaborating himself either. Sonja quirked an eyebrow at him, looking bit thrown off.

  
“Well, either way this can actually work in our favour.” she informed him, smiling patiently at him, giving him a knowing look. Seth hadn’t felt like continuing the conversation any further. He’d changed the topic and they had headed off to the diner.

  
For reasons unbeknownst to him he had gotten roped into planning a job with Sonja. She had prompted him to contact uncle Eddie, see if he had anything for them. Seth couldn’t care. He went with it. Thrill of the heist and all that, right? Thus, her endless patience, continuous prompting, stratagem, and the fact that the bonds were missing from his bag managed to stay below his discombobulated radar.

-

  
  
  
Richard and Santánico had met with Eddie. Their meeting hadn’t gone well. Santánico had forced his hand to divert from their original play. Which wasn’t something he did lightly. They should’ve stuck to their plan, not this improvisational bullshit. Richard had gritted his teeth harshly, doing his best to keep his mouth shut and not burst out at her in anger. He needed to keep appearances up, no matter what. Richie was too close now to blow it.

  
Matters really changed for the worse when it turned out that Santánico had been taken whilst Richie had been stuck in a room with a bunch of human trafficking assholes. Richie had been awfully close to getting information out of the fucker when Seth had burst into the goddamn room guns blazing. Forcing Richie to fang out and kill the others before they could get to Seth.

  
“What is your problem?” Richard asked, looking absolutely livid. What was it with every dang person fucking up his plans? Did his aura exude fuck-me-over? Seth in turn ignored him completely and left the room just as rapidly as he’d entered it.

  
“Hey! I’m talking to you, asshole!” Richard followed him, patting a stray piece of lint off his suit whilst pursuing Seth. Seth wasn’t meeting his eyes nor was he slowing down his gait. Richard grabbed him by the back of his poorly fitting suit, jerked him to a full stop and flung him against the opposite wall of the hallway. Trapping him in place by placing his arms on either side of him. So much for having a sweet reunion.

  
“I’m talking to you!” He bit out, blazing blue eyes seeking Seth’s. Upon closer look, his partner looked like hell. His lips were drawn in a hard line, his jaws were clenched tightly, and he was looking anywhere but at Richie.

  
“Get the fuck off me!” Seth ground out from between his teeth and pushed at Richie in vain. Richie could easily overpower him but he stepped back nonetheless, giving him some space.

  
“What has gotten into you?” Richie pleaded, his mind fogging over with confusion, his pulse rising. He had expected Seth to be upset with him, but this was something else.

  
“You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me!” Seth scoffed looking beside himself, shaking his head at Richie whilst he straightened his suit. “Are you fucking stupid, Richard? Has that snake slithered so far up your melon, that you have actually lost your goddamn mind?” Seth delivered the blow, and the obvious intended pain it was meant to inflict, landed harshly. So much so that Richie had flinched, taking an involuntary step backwards. Wide eyes met Seth’s furious ones. His own jaw worked and it took him a moment to find his voice again. Seth wiped something invisible from under his eye, he was whole bodily trembling, changing his stance. Shifting his weight from one leg to the other.

  
“Don’t call me that, not you Seth,” Richard breathed out, once he’d gotten his mouth to work again. “I was _this_ close to getting the info we needed out of him and you just blew it.”

  
“Human trafficking, Richard!” Seth had yelled back, grabbing onto the lapels of his suit, and throwing him back forcefully. “You’re using little girls as bait, for those fucking snakes! What the fuck is wrong with you?” Seth hissed in his face. Richard was about to explain himself, _needing_ Seth to understand, when all of Seth’s focus lifted off him and was diverted elsewhere. 

  
“Seth! Where the hell have you been? Come on babe, let’s go.” Sonja’s voice cut through the extremely tightly wound tension between them.

  
It took Richard a second to notice her presence and a moment longer for her words and the meaning behind them to sink in. Richie felt like he’d been kicked in the stomach, body gone rigid, all blood drained from his face, his blood pressure hammered in his ears. His vision starting to become slightly blurry. Following Seth’s gaze, he noticed a female standing way too close to Seth, as if she knew him intimately. Coldness spread through him, like he’d been thrown in a frozen lake in the middle of Winter left to drown or freeze to death. Seth didn’t miss the look of pure horror and hurt on his features, how could he? He’d known him longer than anyone else. Nevertheless, he turned on his heels, took Sonja’s outstretched hand and walked away with her.

  
Richie’s ears were ringing. He was left leaning against the wall, fearing his legs would give out from under him if he tried to walk, his hands were balled into painful fists. His nails were digging into the calloused flesh of his skin. The pain grounded him somewhat. After a while returned his focus to him. 

  
  
-

  
In the end, thanks to Eddie, they were all forced to work together. Seth and he had spoken the bare minimum to one another. Richard was just waiting for the chance to get him alone and talk to him or throttle him, it could go either way at this point. Richard needed to figure out what the hell Seth was doing, and why he was putting him through this bullshit again. It might not have been intentional with Vanessa, but this, teaming up with his new piece of ass, sure as fuck felt like it was. What Richard couldn’t shake was how she was just another version of his ex-wife.

  
The ones Seth cared enough about to keep around always were. 

-  
  


Together they had managed to find Malvado’s hideout which turned out to be not so little at all. They were supposed to do the job together. First, have an actual talk during a nice dinner. Second, work things out between their new–abhorrent–dynamic. Their dinner turned out to be uncomfortable and counterproductive to say the least. Seth and whatsherface–Richie refused to remember her name–had left thanks to Santánico, leaving Richard behind to deal with the mess. Shit had gone south from there.

_  
Richie and Santánico had been waiting around to swap Eddie’s case with one of their own, when they’d seen Seth stroll out of Eddie’s joint, looking like he was the shit. As they would later find out, Seth had stolen Eddie’s play. Right when Richard and Santánico had convinced Eddie to get them in on said play, Seth’s girlfriend had walked in, enlightening them all of her boyfriend’s plan. Fucking snitch._

_  
Richard had followed his idiot partner, who was driving him crazy, only to find him in some shady garage with an asshole named Larry trying to take over their fucking payday. Suffice it to say, they had gotten into a fight. Because apparently, they had gotten back to this shitshow, with Seth refusing to listen to a single word Richie had to say. It was driving Richard up the wall._

_  
“This job is the old man’s dream!” Richard had exclaimed, trying to talk some sense into Seth’s skull._

_  
“You’re just usin’ him to keep your bitch happy.” Seth had snapped back, lunging for him._

_  
“So that’s why you hate culebras so much. It’s not because you’re scared that we’re gonna eat you. It’s because of her!” Richard had growled out, piercingly cold blue eyes meeting Seth’s furious glare right on. Throwing him backwards against the Oldsmobile. “Bingo!” Seth had confirmed, his suspicions. Part of Richie had felt utterly relieved at the admission. Because in the end, it meant that Seth didn’t hate_ him _as a culebra. His hate was directed at Santánico. Which meant that there was still a chance to make things right_.

-

  
  
Richard and Eddie were just coming back from their reckon mission at Jacknife Jed’s when they’d been met with Seth aiming a goddamn modified stakegun at Santánico’s chest. Things had escalated from there. They’d fought. Soon after their safe-house had been invaded by a gang of culebras. No matter how many they killed there seemed to be more of them. During the fight Eddie had gotten badly hurt. Eddie hadn’t survived the injury. After giving him a proper send-off, they had decided to pull off the damn caper for Eddie, honouring him one last time.

  
Their initial, collective, plan had gone to hell, which of course it had, Richard and Greely were stuck in a torture dungeon. Greely getting fucking skinned. Meanwhile, Seth, whatsherface and the ranger were supposed to sneak Santánico into the joint, using the freight elevator. They were all supposed to meet at their intermediated rendezvous point.

  
Malvado had gotten into Richie’s head, or at least that’s what Richard wanted the bastard to believe. Rambling nonsense about Richard desiring to take the throne, beat Seth, and be the one holding all the power. Richard wasn’t going to kid himself; he did want some of those things. The one major, _true_ , desire Malvado had gotten wrong concerning Richie however, was him wanting to rid himself of Seth. If only he knew. But Richard played the game along. After having spent years in the woods alone, dealt with Santánico, El Rinche, Carlos and every other goddamn culebra for so long, he’d become a master at deception. One of Malvado’s minions had walked in tugging Kate along with him. Richard had been fuming, but was doing his damn best to keep his features indifferent and to _not_ show his hand. By the looks of it Kate was unharmed, which calmed his nerves slightly.

  
Malvado had explained how he’d played them all along. Using that bitch Sonja to deliver the bonds to him, the ones Richie’d hidden in Seth’s duffel bag. And he’d forced an all too eager Carlito to snatch Kate, in order to get his hands on the rest of it. Richard had kept his mouth shut, giving a one-shouldered shrug. Malvado had left the throne room, leaving it all to him, in exchange for the blood from the bloodwell. Richard had forced Kate to stay behind with him, allowing Malvado to believe that she was his. Seth and Santánico had successfully believed that Richard had betrayed them. Richard had confided part of his plan to Kate. He’d needed her to stay behind whilst he followed Malvado. Santánico and Seth were fighting Malvado together when Richie had found them.

  
“You son of a bitch!” Seth had yelled at the sight of him. Not knowing that Richard had come to help them kill the bastard.

  
“Nice to see you too, Seth,” Richard had said by way of greeting, before emptying his clip in Malvado. Bringing him down to his knees for the moment. Santánico had gotten to deal the killing blow, along with Seth’s help. Richard had stood back and watched the fucker die, enjoying the look of pure horror on his burning gullet. The second he had died Seth had aimed his full rage on him– Richard had cut him off, holding up a hand. “We need to stop Carlito, before he gets to the bloodwell.”

  
Seth had gazed at him like he’d been on the brink of punching him square on the jaw, but held himself off at the last millisecond. Richard had asked Santánico to stay behind with Kate, guard the place until they came back. Last thing they needed was an inside riot with Malvado dead. They had promised Kate that they’d bring Scott back with them.

  
Richard walked towards the Mustang but before he knew what the hell was happening Seth had cocked his shotgun and blown his front tire.

  
“What is wrong with you!” Richard had exclaimed furiously, rounding on him.

  
“We’re not going anywhere until we sort-” Seth gestured between them “-this shit out.”

  
“We can sort it out while we’re driving,” Richie huffed back, his teeth gnashing together. They didn’t have time for this shit. He walked towards the Camaro, and just as he was about to open its door his eardrums were pierced by another boom.

  
“Cut it the fuck out ya dick! You almost shot me!” Richard was fuming, his hand snatching onto Seth’s tie and pulling him close. “Get in the car. We’ll talk then!” He had hissed in Seth’s face, pushing him towards his– _their_ –precious Ford GT. However, this time he stalked right behind the asshole and flung the door for him, before another tire was shot to all hell. Once Seth had stepped in, Richie had slammed the door shut behind him, and strode towards the driver’s side. Richard had revved the engine, kicked the gas, pulled the handbrake at the sharp turn of the driveway making the trunk of the car skidding a 180 degree in one swift movement and tore down the street.

  
“You fucking betrayed us, why?” Seth finally ground out, his voice gradually rising, yelling his ‘why’. His hand gripping tightly onto the handle above his head. It almost made Richard snicker, if he wasn’t still fuming.

  
“I didn’t. It was supposed to look that way.” Richard did his best explaining in a calm and collected manner, readjusting his glasses. Accelerating their speed.

  
“Oh, _look_ that way. Right, my bad.” Seth scoffed feigning understanding. “Was that before or after you ditched me with your psycho snake of a girlfriend and her raping, murdering, master?” Seth was yelling, both hands now clutching tightly onto the dashboard.

  
“Dammit, Seth! You aren’t listening to what I’m saying. First of all, she’s no longer my girlfriend. Second, I didn’t ditch you. I needed that fucker to hand over the reins and think he’d gotten away. Afterwards, I made sure Kate was safe then followed the bastard, and helped you kill him, didn’t I?” Richard questioned back, holding up a hand in exasperation. Taking a deep inhale through pursed lips, trying to calm himself down.

  
“Oh what, your sweetheart ditched your ass? Got trouble in your little snake paradise,” Seth replied, tone mocking. “And yeah, you arrived barely on time to do goddamn shit. Forcing me to do your job of helping her kill a culebra lord.” Seth wasn’t relenting, the veins on his arm were bulging, his pulse racing.

  
“I did everything I could to dethrone said culebra lord, Seth”—Richard flung his hand in the air, getting really tired of fighting—“And help Santánico to exact her goddamn vengeance. We had everything under control.” Richard exasperated, hands tightening around the steering wheel.

  
“Dethrone? Are you hearing the shit that’s coming out of your mouth? This isn’t Game of Thrones, Richard. What, you think you’re Khalisee now? Taking over Malvado’s throne? You’re so fucking susceptible that you would betray everyone who gives a shit about you, and stab them in the goddamn back.” Seth fired back, looking absolutely livid, he turned sideways to face him. “Shit, sure as hell weren’t under control when he nearly killed your ex and forced me to step in. And don’t think for a second, I’m leaving you off the hook for leaving Kate behind in that goddamn snake pit. Apparently, that’s what you excel at.” Seth ranted then swung sideways, pulled on the lever on his seat, and kicked it back as far as it could go. Creating space between them, as much as it was possible inside a damn vehicle.

  
“I had it all planned out. Besides Santánico can handle herself. But I had to make sure Kate was safe first before I found you.” Richard kept his eyes on the road, but his body had gone rigid. Anticipating another verbal blow. However, he was surprised when Seth didn’t say anything back. Yet, Richard couldn’t decide whether he should feel relieved or disturbed at Seth’s lack of response. Somehow it felt worse. They drove in complete and utter silence for what felt like hours, but was probably more like minutes. When at last, Seth broke the thickening and tense silence. He spoke up so softly, that at first Richard wondered whether he’d imagined it.

  
“Why’d you leave?” He’d asked leaving out the part that was actually gutting him. Not bothering with looking Richie’s way.

  
“Seth I already explained,” Richard sighed tiredly, “I didn’t mean to leave you behind with Santánico, okay. Look I know you hate her, but like I said I needed to take care of other things first before I got back to you.” Richard repeated his previous explanation, starting to sound like a broken record, he leaned further back in his seat, suddenly feeling drained and exhausted.

  
“Dammit!” Seth punched the dashboard then quickly recollected himself at Richard’s confused sideways glance. “That’s not what I meant. Back at the hospital...” Seth let the sentence drift off, waving a hand vaguely in the air.

  
“That’s what you're mad about?” Richard couldn’t help but exclaim. Which of course was the wrong thing to say, because Seth looked like he’d hit a nerve.

  
“Are you shitting me right now?” Seth shot back angrily, but when he met Richie’s eyes all Richard saw was hurt tainting those hazel eyes. Pain he had caused. _Fuck!_

  
“Seth I—” Richard had started to explain but was cut off. “You know what, don’t even bother answering that. Spare me the bullshit.” Seth held up his hand and looked out of the window. But Richard could see the barely noticeable tremors wracking his body. For all the angry yelling Seth was doing, and lashing out, he was fronting. Covering the fact that he was deeply hurting on the inside. It was like the thick fog of confusion had finally lifted from Richie’s mind; he could see it all so clearly now.

  
“I was just a way to pass the time with before you scurried back to your girlfriend. I don’t know what the hell I was expecting.” Seth dismissed the entire conversation.

  
“What are you on about?” Richard asked, kicking the brake. “Look at me,” he commanded, undoing his seat belt, needing to clear things up. Undo the pain he’d caused.

  
“I said drop it and don’t fucking stop the car. We gotta get to your damn bloodwell. Isn’t that why ya dragged me out here.” Seth shot back, his blood pressure raising drastically.

  
“Jesus, Seth.” Richard’s voice sounded broken, even to his own ears. “You think us sleeping together, having sex, was just a way to pass the time? That I would use _you_ like that?” Richard was blinking rapidly, his breath hitching in his throat. “Fucking hell, of course it wasn’t. I would never do that to you, you prick! Is that what _you_ were thinking or what you _wanted_?” Richie asked incredulously, his heart hammering in his chest as he awaited Seth’s answer.

  
“Screw you, Richard.” Seth shot back, his eyes red rimmed, averting his gaze.

  
“Hey! Look at me! Is that what you wanted or what you thought it was?” Richard pushed, needing to know the answer. However, Seth remained silent. “You did, didn’t you…” Richard’s voice broke off, “That’s why you have gotten yourself a girlfriend now, don’t you?” Richie sounded as if he’d swallowed glass. Seth turned towards him, glaring angrily at him. Richie noticed the newly added ink; cheap flames covering the puncture marks Richie’s fangs had left. “Jesus, you couldn’t even wait. All tatted up and shoved everything in the trash, haven’t you? Did you fuck her?” Richard was on a tangent and the final question was wrenched out of him and it felt like having his fucking teeth extracted.

  
“Fuck you! Of course, that wasn’t what I was thinking and yes, I got the ink from her. And yes, we fucked, but none of it matters because I had to put a fucking bullet through her for betraying us and getting Eddie killed!” Seth explained on a rant, his chest heaving, breathing harshly.

  
Richard was shaking. He floored the gas and started driving. Traitorous tears were forming at the corners of his eyes. He ripped his spectacles off and wiped at his eyes. Seth followed his movements, his eyes boring into him. But Richard’s throat was no longer working, he felt humiliated. He’d been so fucking wrong. There was no more fixing this. Seth _did_ hate him and it wasn’t because he was a culebra.

  
“Richard, stop the car.” Seth’s voice sounded far away. “Hey, look at me, stop the car.” Suddenly Seth’s hand was resting on his arm, pulling him out of his stupor. Richard did as he was told and stopped the car, however, what neither of them had noticed up until now was that they’d reached their destination.

  
“We’re here.” They both spoke in unison.

  
They both stepped out of the car, looking down the hill at Carlos and his minions. “We’re too late,” Seth noted, pointing at the truck already driving away from the site. _Goddamit!_ “No, we’re not. We’re ending this tonight.” Richard said determined.

  
“Scott’s driving it.” Seth noted from beside him.

  
“Why don’t we deal with those fuckers first?” Richard suggested, nodding his head towards Carlito’s followers.

  
“Gotcha.” They both walked around the car, opened the trunk, and took out their guns. Seth had taken the semi-automatic. Richard grabbed the light machine gun. Their position worked in their favour, because they all had to go through them to get back to Jacknife Jed’s.

  
“Jesus, you brought a fucking grenade launcher? Who are you even right now?” Seth asked utterly dumbfounded yet proceeded to grab the grenade launcher instead. Richard grinned devilishly at him, “Someone who came prepared, Seth.” He added whilst getting into position and perfected his aim.

  
Seth didn’t have time to reply, because just then Scott had driven the truck passed them, creating a crystal clear view for them to deal with the rest. The eerie silence of the night was blown to hell as Seth started launching grenades towards the two emerging vehicles. Richard aimed at the bikers, emptying round after round in ‘em. Tanner’s bike sped their way, it pulled to an abrupt stop in front of him. “Why don’t the two of you give it a rest already, you’re too late.” He spoke up, flashing them a condescending and utterly smug smile.

  
“Why don’t you shut your gullet,” Seth hissed back, shooting at another biker that was in close range.

  
“Tell your bitch to shut it, lizard boy.” Sex Machine retorted pointing a gun at Seth. “Watch your fucking mouth! Who you calling a bitch?” Richie gritted through his teeth aiming his gun at the pervert. “Would you look at that, I had it all wrong, you’re his!” Tanner observed, eyeing them creepily, as if he was undressing them with his eyes. “Bet you love getting pounded by him, don’t cha?” He went on. Richard gave an involuntary whole bodily shudder at his disgusting tone.

  
“Why don’t you shut the fuck up!” Seth bit out, resting the launcher on his shoulder as he took out his .45 and shot the asshole in the mouth three times, then emptied six more rounds in his chest. “And no, I don’t mind getting pounded by him.” Seth sneered at the asshole unable to hold off his reply, though at this point he was probably admitting it more to Richie than what was left of the pervert. Just then Carlito’s car came into view, driving straight at them. Seth fired his grenade launcher. The blast was dodged by mere inches, as the car made a sharp turn and skidded towards them uncontrollably. Richard had half a mind to throw his arm around Seth and hurtle the both of them out of harm’s way. Covering Seth’s body with his own, arms wrapped around Seth’s head, as they fell down, the force of their fall caused them to roll down the ravine. Tires screeched harshly as Carlito’s car came to a halt right at the edge. It reversed immediately and drove away.

  
“Shit,” Seth huffed from under Richie’s arm, moving his head sideways and spitting out dirt.

  
“Not gonna lie, that went better than I expected,” Richard spoke up, lifting himself off Seth and stumbling to his feet.

  
“Yeah, well at least we ain’t dead.” Seth said, smirking at Richie then all of a sudden, his features froze as he realised what he’d just said. “Fuck, Richie I didn’t mean it like that.” He hurried to explain. Richie was patting the dust and gravel off his suit as best as he could.

  
“Forget about it. I know what you meant. Besides, I’m not dead, remember.” Richie’s lips pulled up at the corner into a supposed reassuring smile, even if it didn’t fully reach his eyes.

  
“Yeah, right,” Seth quickly replied, then bent forwards and took something off the ground and moved towards him. “Here,” he spoke softer than before, cleaning Richie’s glasses with the hem of his shirt before holding them out to him.

  
“Thanks.” Richard took them gratefully and placed them in their place.

  
“We need to hurry back.” They both spoke in tandem.

  
-

  
When they arrived at Jacknife Jed’s they didn’t know what to expect, but it sure as hell wasn’t the carnage before them. Scott had apparently crashed the truck. Blood was flowing everywhere, like a beautiful blood-filled fountain. Santánico was fighting Carlito, who was joined by his sidechick. Kate and Scott were fighting side by side, killing culebras like two teenage culebra slayers. It hadn’t taken Seth and Richie long to join them and put an end to this once and for all. Together they had dealt with Carlos–giving him the Kansas treatment–and his followers. Once the humans had cleared the joint, with the exception of the peacekeeper, Kate, and Seth. Richard had pulled the ranger aside, joined by Santánico and Seth. They came to the decision to let the peacekeeper hold down the fort at Jacknife Jed’s, and to keep the culebras in line. Santánico had no intention of staying around or to pose as anyone’s queen. And Richard he had other plans for them. If things were ever to get out of control, they’d all come back and help the ranger out. They had set up a rule that was very simple to follow. As long as the culebras behaved they got to live, hidden in the shadows. If they didn’t, well, then they’d bite the dust.

  
Simple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seth's nightmare is a nod to the movie!  
> 


	3. Act 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The undeclared temporary truce that had been established between them during the fight and its aftermath seemed to be standing on its last leg. Bound to be shattered at any moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Strap yourselves in, this one is a rollercoaster. Just gonna say that there is NSFW content *whistles innocently, whilst moonwalking out of the room*

The peacekeeper had stayed behind at Jacknife Jed’s. Delegating tasks to the culebras that were left alive, and reassigned them to their new positions. Afterwards he had driven back to his own family; needing to be around his wife and kid. There were only so many good days left and Freddie was going to make every single one count. Scott and Kate were off to figure things out amongst themselves. Now that Scott was no longer under Carlito’s influence he could work on earning back Kate’s trust. They were left a broken family and it was going to take them an immense amount of effort and time to mend things. Santánico, finally free from her imprisoners and in dire need of some peace of mind, had taken off as well.

  
Richard and Seth had left shortly after Santánico had taken off. They rode back to the safe house in order to get their stuff and to pack the last of Eddie’s belongings. The ride over had been an eerily quiet one. The undeclared temporary truce that had been established between them during the fight and its aftermath seemed to be standing on its last leg. Bound to be shattered at any moment. Richard brought the GT to a stop inside the garage, though left the engine still purring silently in the background. Both of them remained seated as if waiting for the other to make a move or say something. Anything.

  
Despite being absolutely livid about everything Richie had put him through these last couple of weeks, there was not an ounce within Seth’s being that wanted to distance himself from him. Seth couldn’t erase the memory of him and Richie, standing in a shot to hell hallway arguing, then having Sonja walk in on them. The initial look of surprise on Richie’s face at the sudden interruption had morphed as he had taken notice of her and the way she’d spoken to him. Richie’s face had crumbled, visible pain bleeding onto his features. Seth couldn’t forget that night, no matter how much he had tried to. A distant part of him feared that he would bend to Richie’s will. Stay with him, like old times. Needing him like he needed air, even if that air turned out to be toxic. Seth still would inhale that shit.

  
Therefore, Seth found himself unable to endure the building tension between them, needing to break it. “Look, Richie, I’m sorry bout what happened,” he inhaled softly before he went on. “With Sonja.” He clarified, scratching the back of his head slightly nervous, though mostly feeling restless.

  
“Kay, I’ll admit, I lashed out—” Seth waved his hand vaguely about “—I,… I might’ve misconstrued the shit that went down after waking up at the hospital. I– I was in a lot of pain; I was high and too caught up… I let my inner bullshit get the best of me. I’m not proud of it, okay? That shit with Sonja, it was low and it shouldn’t have happened. Not after we, you know…” He gestured between them, “but she was there when I needed someone”—he pointedly left out who he had thought that _someone_ should’ve been— “to be there.” His voice trailed off, fingers pulling on the too tight knot of his tie, needing to loosen the damn thing. Richard watched his every move, eyes following Seth’s fingers with a focus that rivalled a Martial eagle’s.

  
“I also shouldn’t have shot your tires, that was a dick move, okay? But you were being _you_ and I was pissed off… I don’t regret _that_ and am not gonna apologise for it, take it or leave it.” Seth said in some ways trying to make amends for his part in this whole fuck-up, however, he would be damned if he were to let Richie off the hook for bailing on him. Without a note or anything, that still had his blood boiling.

  
_Say something._

  
Silence befell upon them, the moment lasted a bit too long before Richard finally spoke up, calculating eyes meeting Seth’s. “I shouldn’t have left you at the hospital, not like that.” He confessed, his hands stiffening around the steering wheel, causing the leather to squeak. Seth hadn’t expected him to say _that._

  
“I wasn’t thinking straight,” Richard let out a deep exhale, staring off at an indeterminant point across from the windshield. “You were injured. Unresponsive. I couldn’t treat your injuries. I got us to the nearest hospital as fast as I could. But then we got fucking made.” He suddenly punched the steering wheel losing his cool, making Seth sit up. Richie never lost his cool.

  
“I had to think fast on my feet. I forced a nurse to keep an eye you.” He emphasised, looking completely unaware of his sudden outburst. “It’s not like I had time to plan every move. Weigh my damn options.” Richie paused, averting his gaze, searching Seth’s eyes. “Seth.. I couldn’t risk staying and jeopardising your health.” Richard swallowed harshly, evidently still bothered by the events. For all intents and purposes Richard had lost his fucking signature stoic demeanour.

  
A cruel part _deep_ within Seth took pleasure in that. That drugged out part of him that had twisted so out of shape until it had snapped, was still left somewhat unhinged. Though despite his messed-up state of mind, Seth, had to–grudgingly–concede that between them Richard was the methodical planner. Seth was the one to think quick on his feet when shit–inevitably–hit the fan. Cause for said shit hitting any fans, was of course Richie. Richie and his tendency to make slight adjustments at the very last moment or to improv in the heat of the moment. Two entire decades of dealing with that type of behaviour had turned Seth into a fucking pro when it came to solving problems and getting them out of life-threatening situations while under duress. It was why the two of them together were unparalleled by any other crew out there. They knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses through and through, and in that regard, they complemented each other. Their jagged edges, like two broken off pieces of a puzzle, fitted together perfectly.

  
“I left you a burner with my number,” Richard’s speech became rapid. “I tracked your location to make sure you were okay. Had the nurse watch your back and take care of you. Obviously, I dealt with _that_ loose end once you were released.” Richie rasped his–presumably oftentimes rehearsed–explanation on a single exhale, raking a hand through his hair. That piece of info grated on his nerve. Richie had known when he’d been released and known his exact location. And whilst Seth had needed him the most, Richie hadn’t bothered to get back to him. _Fucking asshole._ Seth wanted to physically shake him, barely refraining from doing so.

  
“I didn’t factor that me leaving could...” he trailed off, no need to actually verbalise how much it had devastated Seth. Hell, it had caused him to relapse. “Seth, do you have any idea how fucking helpless I felt by not being able to help you myself? I didn’t know whether you were gonna come out of the operating room. I hated not being able to be there when you woke up without having to slaughter every goddamn person in there. I hated leaving. But causing you this type of pain, I– this– it’s an oversight... I-I’m sorry man,” Richie spoke ruefully, his shoulders hung heavily as if they were being weighed down by his guilt. Frenzied eyes glanced at Seth’s, his hand had darted out and was grasping Seth’s, holding it in his lap. As if needing a physical anchor.

  
They always did _need_ physical contact from each other. Used to be Seth more so than Richard. _How the roles have reversed,_ Seth thought bit apathetically. His inner thoughts and emotions, or rather lack thereof, were starting to sicken him. This wasn’t some random asshole he was talking to; this was _Richie_. Not a snake either, but the kid with the too big for his head glasses, _Richie_. The one that carried his deadweight back to their shitty motel room to check his wounds, whilst ignoring his own profusely bleeding leg, _that_ Richie. _What the fuck is wrong with me?_

  
“I knew I had to make things right for us. I found us an out. For good. No final scores or pulling shady jobs. Got us new passports. We have our own business, one with a legitimate income. It’s _ours,_ Seth, and it’s fucking good. We can literally escape to our own fuckin’ paradise!” Richie went on, the sheer excitement at the prospect lighting up his eyes–unaware of the chaos swirling inside Seth–his warm hold tightened around Seth’s hand, pulled him closer.

  
“You can have all the drinks with the tiny umbrellas you want, okay?” Richard exhaled, eyeing him expectantly, though something akin to anxiety shone in his eyes for a split-second. He seemed to be trying very hard to keep his features indifferent but was failing miserably. As he had during this entire conversation.

  
“Richard, calm the fuck down a sec.” Seth interrupted, for a second fearing his voice would come out harsher than he intended to, but he’d sounded almost neutral. Much to his relief. “What the hell are you talking ‘bout?” He demanded, wanting to snatch his hand back, but refrained from doing so. He wasn’t going to let Richard drag him into this bullshit _again_. It had almost killed him the first time. Fool him once and all that.

  
“How was what you did supposed to make anything right? And what business?” Seth fired one question after another without pause. “The hell you mean ours? Our paradise?”—he snatched his hand back and continued to point an accusing finger at the asshole to put even more emphasis on his next sentence— “There’s no us. You made that really fucking clear.” He snapped, seething with rage, unsuccessful at maintaining his calm or to at least feign it.  
  


Richard looked as if he’d been slapped in the face. To some extent Seth felt a wicked sense of satisfaction at the reaction he’d managed to evoke within him, but for the most part he really hated himself for it. He’d never been cruel, especially not towards Richie. No matter, he remained furious. There was this unrelenting fiery anger burning inside of him, forcing him to lash out and fly off the handle uncontrollably. Seth hated the gigantic wedge that had been driven between them. Hated with a burning passion how he wanted nothing more than to make things right, but was failing so fucking miserably. Every word he uttered, or rather, was _capable_ of uttering was pushing them further and further apart. Inflicting more pain, in both of them. It was like his mouth had a goddamn mind of its own, and it was set on hurting Richie back. Richard had explained his actions and his reasoning had been understandable and logical to some degree. Or at least it should’ve been.

  
But it just raised more questions and despite Seth wanting things to go back to the way they were, they simply weren’t. Seth found himself stuck between _needing_ Richie and wanting to crush him for ripping Seth’s fucking heart out of his chest. Richie could shove his explanation up his ass for all he cared. His mind and heart were at war, and Richard was boring the brunt of it. Well, they both were.  
  


“I made that clear?” Richie snapped back, at last losing his briefly regained calm, for a second his eyes fell on Seth’s hand then snapped immediately back up. As if not wanting Seth to notice what the loss of contact meant. It felt spiteful, considering the fact that Seth used to take whatever he wanted from Richie for as long as they had known each other, and Richie had always indulged him. _Until her,_ Seth thought bitterly.

  
“ _You_ drove back to town with your new skirt the second you _thought_ things hadn’t gone your way. Did you even bother to make a fuckin’ call, Seth? No! Did you stop fuckin’ thinking, and assuming, and make sure you actually _knew_ your goddamn shit? Fuck forbid you ever use your brain!” Richard hissed back showing all teeth, chest heaving noticeably. Seth felt his blood boiling. “Screw you!” Seth bit out angrily.

  
“Screw me? The way you’re screwing her?” Richard ground out vehemently. Which fuck, the guilt of that returned to Seth’s mind in tenfold, starting to eat away at him again. Though it wasn’t enough to make him back down.

  
“How should I have known that you’d left me a burner? Was I supposed to when, oh I don’t know, I was in so much pain I couldn’t even sit up straight? Or whilst high on morphine having nightmares of you ditching me for your latest broad? Or how ‘bout when I repeatedly kept dreaming of you dying in her arms! Like a goddamn tape stuck on a fucking loop every night!” Seth rattled off, yelling by the end, ignoring the dig at him and Sonja. Seth was shaking with so much rage that for a split-second it was drowning out his heartache.

  
There wasn’t enough space within the car, it felt suffocating. _Why does every damn person wanna be rid of me?_ Seth nearly slipped up, barely refraining from shouting the thought. After his parents’ death his family had abandoned him. Jameson had hated his guts and couldn’t wait to throw him out once he’d stopped being useful. Eddie usually just tolerated him and Vanessa had loved her idea of him. Though none of them had mattered, fuck ‘em all he’d thought, because he had always had Richie. Until the last couple of months that is. Seth couldn’t breathe.

  
“Seth, I didn’t know that,” Richie spoke grimly, looking haggard. “I already told you we broke up. But that still didn’t withhold you from repeating the same shit with me now as you did back in the day with Vanessa.” Richard snapped, then instantly flinched back, looking like he wanted to flee the car. Apparently, not having meant to admit that. Again, that was unlike him. Which, wait, what? _What the hell has Vanessa to do with this?_

  
“Repeating what? What are you even talking ‘bout? This about the money Richie?” Seth fired back, contrary to his tone his hand was grasping Richie’s suit, pulling him closer unawares. Goddammit he wanted Richie to fight for them. As much as Seth had. Seth knew he was being fucking pathetic, but he couldn’t take another blow and he couldn’t lose Richie either.

  
“Bout the money? God damn it! You know what, never mind, Seth.” Richie replied exhausted, twisting his body around and started tugging on the door handle to toss it open. But Seth wasn’t going to let him get away that easily.

  
“I do fuckin’ mind! What has Vanessa got to do with any of this? And are you really still on about Sonja? She’s dead for fuck’s sake!” Seth snapped back, hauling Richie back towards him, subsequently causing Richie to slam the door shut as his hand jerked in tandem with his upper body. “‘sides I haven’t spoken to Vanessa since she ratted us out, hell, I deleted her number whilst tripping. So, you know what I don’t get? How _this_ is the issue!” Seth waved his other hand dismissively, whilst the one that held onto Richie’s suit clutched tighter to the material. Richard had stopped mid-movement, not meeting his gaze, though not attempting to flee from him again either.

  
“No, you daft shithead, I deleted her number!” Richie blurted furiously, looking him dead in the eye. Seth expected to have those baby blues pierce him with an icy glare, but instead he was met with deep-seated vulnerability residing within them, dimming Richie’s eyes.

  
“What? Why?” He uttered dumbfounded, still failing to understand what the hell they were actually arguing about. For a sec he wondered if he was still high. Because nothing was making sense.

  
“Christ, are you that dense that I gotta spell it out for you?” Richard threw his arms up exasperated, his glasses slipping down his nose.

  
“Because! I didn’t want you to call her, I wanted you to call _me_.” He huffed, all the air and tension leaving his body minutely. Unconsciously his hand had wound around Seth’s which was still preventing Richie from exiting the vehicle. Seth’s gaze softened at the admission and his touch, it drained all the anger within him from his body, taut muscles unwinding on a soft exhale.

  
“What’d ya mean by back in the day?” Seth asked, needing to know, feeling like he was solving an intricate puzzle. Richie eyed him tiredly and looked like he was on the brink of closing up again. To prevent it from happening, Seth hurried to add. “Look, Richie, I’m trying really hard here to understand, but ya gotta help me out,” Seth spoke quietly, he lifted one hand on auto-pilot and carefully slid Richie’s glasses into place. Richie closed his eyes at the gesture and let out a sigh in resignation.

  
“We were a team Seth,” Richie started, whilst leaning farther back away from him. Seth held his breath, not knowing what the hell was going to come to light that Richie needed to put literal space between them.

  
“Way back then. It was us against the world, wasn’t it?” Richie implored, blue eyes momentarily searching his for confirmation. Seth gave a curt nod, remaining quiet so Richie would further explain.

  
“It was the day before I was turning fifteen. The sun was almost setting when you snuck us out, after you’d hot-wired some asshole’s car, and we drove for hours. Just us, in a stolen car, with nothing but the road stretching out endlessly in front of us. You had stashed the entire backseat with all the junk food and sugary things I loved to munch on but never could at the house. Remember those jawbreakers?” He asked, for a millisecond a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, lost in the memory.

  
“I think I wounded my tongue on ‘em.” Yeah, Seth could most definitely remember them, he’d chipped one of his molars trying to bite into the damn sourball. Richie laughing his ass off at him afterwards had made the experience somewhat worth it though.

  
“You’d even gotten me the drink I couldn’t shut up about, _Jolt,_ remember? Could never find it in our grocery store… hated the shit outta the place anyway, always smelled like a revolting combo of vinegar and bleach in there…” He trailed off for a moment getting side-tracked.

  
“The whole ride I was eating so much sour candy, chips and cookies. My stomach had started to feel like it was going to explode. But I was loving it way too much to tell ya or to stop stuffing my face.” He chuckled softly; his eyes glazed over with the pleasant memory.

  
“We were rocking so hard to the radio, with the sun illuminating our surroundings in warm pink and orange hue’s, that I just forgot about everything else. I can’t remember where you drove us to. But when you pulled the car to a stop there were fireworks lighting up the night sky. I got so distracted by them that I didn’t notice you, at the stroke of midnight, holding out your hands towards me with a gift in ‘em. Gave me my first sketchbook along with those expensive pencils I was always looking at. I’d never noticed you noticing me wanting them,” Richie spoke softly, his fingers caressing Seth’s.

  
“I fell in love with you then and there.” His eyes were cast down, his fingers slowly stopped moving. Seth’s breath hitched in his throat when he heard the admission. He hadn’t known. Never figured it out either.

  
At the time all he had wanted was to celebrate Richie’s birthday, make it one he wouldn’t forget and give the kid something he would actually like. He had worked all summer to save up enough money to do so, not wanting his first gift to him be something that was stolen. It had been completely worth it. The look on Richie’s face had been priceless.

  
“I never said anything, and I didn’t realise just how much differently I always felt towards you than I felt for others. But I always knew that I couldn’t let my selfish feelings come between us.” Richard inhaled deeply, his body tensing as if physically preparing himself. Seth encased Richie’s hand with his own.

  
“I figured they’d go away, ya know. But as I got older those feelings manifested themselves deeper and deeper and only intensified. So, I started putting more distance between us in the hopes that it would help or at least prevent you from finding out and scare you off.”

  
All the air got punched out of Seth, because he knew what was coming even before Richie said it. “I knew I had excelled at it on the day you took me out to that fancy as shit diner. Where you told me, you’d gotten married to Vanessa.” Richie gulped down audibly. “You were so excited as you told me all about her. How ya’d met. When. Where… But all I could think about was how I was going to get through dinner without losing my shit. I needed to show you that I was glad that you’d met someone that made you happy, gave you what you needed and deserved. I always knew that day would come, obviously, but still I didn’t expect it to crush me so badly. I tried to move on with Santánico, but I couldn’t keep it up. Not when it became obvious just how much you hated her, and with her things came to a natural end anyway.” The visceral pain of the memories shone brightly in Richie’s eyes, and it gutted Seth. Seth’s braced hand slid up Richie’s thigh unwittingly, until it came to rest on his lower hip, fingers tightening around the expensive material of his trousers. As if on cue, Richie’s posture went a bit slack at the comforting gesture.

  
“What you don’t understand, Seth, is how easy it is to fall in love with you.” Richie heaved a deep sigh before continuing. “Though it really fucking hurts to love you. You’ve given me shit about leaving a trail of dead bodies behind. But what you fail to see are the broken hearts you’ve left in your wake.” Richard admitted, his voice strained. Immense guilt wracked Seth at the knowledge. The thought of what Richie had gone through, for years, and how Seth had been treating him these last couple of weeks. Lashing out at him–verbally and physically–to punish Richie for what he’d thought Richie had done wrong. He was a jackass, and felt even more horrible about having hooked up with Sonja. All the rage, resentment, embarrassment, anguish, and feelings of doubt he had felt non-stop bled out of him. The sudden lack of the overwhelming emotions left him slightly bereft. Gradually being replaced by a deep-seated need of giving Richie _anything_ he needed. Anything he _wanted_. If he still did.

  
“Jesus Christ, Richie, I- I didn’t know– any of it…” Seth trailed off swallowing harshly around a lump in his throat. “I’m fucking sorry, man. For bein’ a goddamn asshole, for thinking I had any right to punish you, or for leaving me, when you were taking care of us. Hell, you were getting us passports and… fuck!” Seth exclaimed; red-rimmed eyes pleaded with Richie’s. Richie’s hand gently clasped the back of his neck and brought him forwards until Seth’s forehead was resting against Richie’s. Seth’s eyes closed of their own accord, lingering in the moment between them, breathing him in. His heart ached at how much he had missed him. His scent. His feel. His glasses that framed those ocean blue’s artfully. His fucking everything.

  
“I’m sorry bout Santánico. For being so goddamn selfish! I’m sorry I hurt you Richie, please, you gotta believe me.” Seth pleaded; imperceptible tremors ran down his entire body.

  
“It’s okay,” Richie spoke softly, his warm breath ghosted over Seth’s lips. “Can we be _us_ again?” Richie asked as he placed a kiss on his temple, lips moving to place another on his cheekbone. “Without anyone coming between us?” He asked, eyes boring into Seth’s. “Fuck, yes, Richie.” Seth nodded, his hand urging Richie to close the gap between them.

  
  
-  
  


  
“We good?” Richie asked breaking their kiss after a moment, feeling his chest tighten with anxiety, a part of him still needed the reassurance. Needing to know that Seth wasn’t going to ditch him–not after he’d lain everything out on the table–for another Vanessa lookalike. Richie didn’t think he could recover from that again. It was very much probable that he’d lose his goddamn humanity if he were to truly lose Seth. No matter how insanely intense that sounded, it was the simple truth. Seth had always, somehow, managed to bring him back from the edge. Kept him sane. He was the only one that could, because he was the first and only person Richie had _deeply_ loved and still did. Loved him so vehemently that Richie had killed to protect Seth, he had let him go when Seth had fallen in love, and he hadn’t hesitated to break him out of prison the second Seth had asked him to.

  
Their relationship wasn’t normal or comprehensible, but it was _theirs_. So, you see, Richie couldn’t lose him to someone else again. Not after having had him like this, as _his_. It’s why he knew and understood Seth’s anger and pain better than anyone else could. They were cut from the same cloth.

  
“We good.” Seth confirmed, his lips tracing Richie’s fucking tenderly. A warm sensation spread through his chest, setting all of his senses on fire. Seth’s lips tentatively pulled Richie’s lower lip between his own. Richie’s eyes closed shut as he felt Seth’s tongue lick at his lips. Seth’s free hand pulled at the hem of his dress shirt, bringing him closer, as he licked into his mouth. Demanding his lips to part and allow him entrance. Richie groaned as he deepened the kiss, his heart beating a mile a minute. Tangling their tongue’s together, tasting Seth, biting on his lip, and tugging ever so gently at it. Richie managed to elicit a moan out of Seth.

  
Had he left the airco on hot? Scorching heat was wracking through his body, accelerating his pulse further, making him feel like he was burning up. From kissing nonetheless. Richard would probably never be able to fathom how Seth had this much influence on him. Seth was half climbing in his lap and half pulling at his coat. Pushing it down his shoulders, as far as he could within the narrow space, consequently trapping Richie’s arms at his sides.

  
“Did you mean what you said back there?” Richard asked between placing kisses on Seth’s gruff beard following the line of his jaw. His lips trailed lower to Seth’s throat and left open-mouthed kisses on every available inch of his skin. Seth trembled under his ministrations, breathing raggedly in his ear as he angled his neck to the side, giving Richie better access. Richie’s mouth came to pause at the hidden puncture marks, nibbling at the tatted skin with blunt teeth, causing Seth to shiver and he watched with delight as goose bumps formed on the flesh Seth’s neck.

  
“B– back where?” Seth breathed half out of his mind, his brace-free hand starting to unbutton Richie’s shirt, his large fingers moved clumsily, the buttons too small to be handled so hurriedly. The sound of his husky voice sent a jolt of electricity through Richie.

  
“To the dead professor.” Richard sat back a little, giving Seth enough space to push his shirt down his shoulders as well. Seth didn’t pause for a second, his mouth immediately latched onto his nipple and bit down. Richie’s breath caught in his throat, his thought process abruptly halted, as the sensation sent a bolt of lightning straight to his dick, all his nerve endings alight. Richard was already having trouble moving, with both of his arms hindered by his lowered coat and now his shirt added on top of it, and he was growing painfully hard in his trousers. “Seth,” Richie moaned after another bite, his voice raspy.

  
“Wha?” Seth seemed completely oblivious to his question, sounding incoherent as hell. “Yeah, I mean, yes! You have no idea how badly I _want_ you Richie.” He added, visibly shaking his head, whilst leaning back to create some room to move around more easily, only to knock his elbow on the steering wheel, causing the car to honk loudly. The noise was shrill and deafening. Seth jerked away and hit his head against the roof with a loud thud. “Fuck!” He cussed agitated.

  
Richard pulled away, leaving Seth bereft and gazing after him in confusion. “Kay, good, cus we didn’t really talk about… ya know… afterwards,” Richie said. “Yeah, no, we didn’t. Never got to. But yes, I fuckin’ want you.” Seth replied whilst looking like the ultimate picture of hot and bothered. His clothes were askew, his hair was a mess, his pupils were blown wide, lips plumped up and glistening with saliva, and he looked so goddamn kissable. Besides he was sporting a very notable bulge in his entrapping trousers, mirroring Richie’s own situation.

  
“You?” He demanded, quirking an eyebrow up at him questioningly. “Yes,” Richie spoke against his lips as he closed the space between them, unable to resist kissing him. Seth started fumbling with his clothes, loosened Richie’s tie, and was bout to hit his elbow on the window as he was doing so, when Richie’s semi-trapped hand shot up and caught his arm just in time before the impact.

  
“Okay, let’s get out of the car,” Richie suggested in a deep voice. Seth flung the door open and moved to step out, albeit with some difficulty given the space, or lack thereof. Richie turned off the engine then followed suit, moving ungainly what with his clothes unnecessarily complicating his movements. Richie shrugged his suit and dress shirt off, cold air hit his chest, making him miss Seth’s warmth against his skin already. He moved towards the front of the GT and motioned for Seth to follow. Seth quirked an eyebrow at him in question but moved forward nonetheless, stepping up to Richie in front of the car.

  
In a single movement Richie wrapped his arms around Seth’s hips lifted him off his feet and placed him on the hood of the GT. In doing so he managed to steal a silent gasp from Seth. The metal underneath them was still warm to the touch. “I’m gonna make you forget about everyone else, Seth. Make your body forgot how anyone else’s touch but mine feels like”—Richard bent forwards, captured Seth’s gasping lips, and licked into his mouth—“Gonna make ya feel so good.” He whispered against his lips, his hands caressing Seth’s skin, gliding over the toned planes of his stomach, making their way to Seth’s firm ass, without warning he pulled him firmly against himself. Knocking Seth’s legs further apart.

  
“Yeah, please, Richie! Any- anything you want,” Seth pleaded, his words being swallowed by a soft moan escaping those sinful lips as Richie connected their groins, fitting together perfectly. Feeling Seth’s hardness against his own, even through all the layers of fabric separating them. Seth rolled his hips against him, desperately chasing friction.

  
He wrapped both of his legs around Richie’s waist, bringing him closer still. Blunt nails dug into Richie’s shoulders, raking down his bare back, and leaving a trail of goose bumps on his skin. Richie grunted at the sensation, perspiration already starting to form on his skin. His hands made their way underneath Seth’s shirt, tugged it upwards and pulled it out of his trousers. He took Seth’s gun from within his waistband and set it aside on the hood, then moved to his offending belt.

  
“Make you moan my name like it’s a fucking prayer.” Richard promised wickedly against Seth’s throat, as he undid the belt with a flick of his wrist, whilst his other hand was holding Seth down, preventing him from grinding his hips for the moment. Richie licked and kissed the ticklish skin of Seth’s earlobe, gently tugging at it with his teeth.

  
“Fuck, Richard,” Seth said hoarsely. Richie moved backwards slightly, causing Seth to protest at the loss of skin on skin contact, he lowered Seth’s trousers down his legs, until they were at his ankles. Seth’s hands were already reaching for him but then came to a halting stop as his eyes took in Richie’s movements. Richie kneeled down on the ground in front of him, lifted Seth’s entangled legs over his head, and placed himself between them. Seth was sitting back with his elbows resting on the hood, glancing heatedly at him through half-lidded eyes. Richie gazed at the darkened wet spot forming on Seth’s boxers, his erection visibly strained underneath it. He licked his lips involuntarily, mouth gone completely dry. He couldn’t stop himself from moving forwards and slanting his mouth over him, gently sucking on the damp fabric, tasting Seth. A whole bodily shudder rippled through Seth. Within a millisecond he’d turned into a quivering mess.

  
“Holy shit!” He cussed, voice coming out scratchy. Richie took his time, sucking and tasting him, his hand moved to clasp around his balls to give them a soft squeeze, and continued massaging them. Causing Seth to mumble incoherently as he fell back against the hood, unable to sit up straight any longer. Richard pulled Seth’s boxers down, momentarily removing himself from between Seth’s legs in order to do so. He reclaimed his position between Seth’s legs. Seth was only able to part his legs a few inches within the confines of his lowered boxers and trousers.

  
It kept Richie where he wanted to be, between Seth’s legs, undressed from the waist down, flushed, and moaning Richie’s name unintelligibly. Richard’s heartbeat thundered loudly in his ears at the sight before him. He could still taste Seth on his tongue. His own trousers felt incredibly tight, but this wasn’t about him. He wanted to erase any damn memory of whatsherface from Seth’s mind. _Need to reclaim him_ , he shuddered at the intensity of the thought, face heating up. Richie placed open-mouthed kisses along the soft and feverishly hot skin of Seth’s inner upper thigh. Nibbling on the plaint skin and leaving marks as he made his way upwards. His head came to hover above Seth’s v-shaped lower abdominal muscles; he nuzzled the happy trail there, nipped at the soft skin just above his hip-bone and lazily licked a path downwards.

  
Seth had stopped breathing and looked like he was about to say something, but was cut off at the last moment, brain short-circuiting. Richie had moved lower, tongue licking tentatively at the sensitive skin just below his scrotum. Curling his tongue, he ran the tip agonisingly slow up Seth’s swelling and hardening cock, making Seth’s legs jerk upwards. Seth was starting to glide down the hood, unable to control his weight. Richard took hold of his legs and laid them on top of his shoulders, supporting Seth’s weight. Whilst his tongue was teasing the slit of his cock, excruciatingly slow, licking up the precum gathered there, savouring his heady taste. Seth’s entire body convulsed, a loud wet gasp ripping out of him.

  
“Richie stop fucking teasing! Please… need you!” Seth started pleading with Richie, but quickly his voice turned into a whine as Richie finally took him into his mouth. Swirling his tongue around the head and started licking at it leisurely. Seth was cursing under his breath; his hands were desperately searching for any leverage to grasp or hold on to. Richie pulled off with a wet pop, blue eyes heated like scorching magma, bored into Seth’s half-lidded ones. He took one of Seth’s hands and guided it towards his own head. Seth immediately wound his fingers tightly into his hair, tugging him closer, whilst his hips gave an involuntarily thrust upwards.

  
Richie wrapped his lips around his cock again, started taking him further and deeper into his mouth. Being utterly careful of not coincidentally popping his fangs. Seth’s fingers were massaging his scalp and ever so carefully tugged on his hair, trying to guide his movements. Richard started bobbing his head, his hand clasped around the base of Seth’s cock and started moving in tandem with his mouth. Intermittently, he would hallow his cheeks, stealing a shamelessly loud moan from Seth. Seth was a quivering mess, his legs were jerking of their own accord, both of his hands held onto Richie’s head as if he was Seth’s lifeline. Richie started to quicken his pace, following Seth’s little cue’s as to what made him tick.

  
Seth had become his favourite vault to crack. Richie noted that when he abruptly switched things up and sucked on his member, it would have Seth tossing his head backwards with his eyes rolling back. His whole body convulsed; the taut muscles of his legs trembled uncontrollably. Richie learned that if he flicked his wrist just so that it had Seth thrusting his hips helplessly. And when the two were combined along with the pace Seth seemed to like the most, it had him come undone. The bare planes of his skin were flushed crimson, Seth was sweating all over, no longer able to control anything. He thrusted upwards into Richie’s mouth, chasing his release. Richard removed his mouth from around Seth’s throbbing length–which had him protesting loudly–and moved up Seth’s body. He placed his fingers against Seth’s lips, wordlessly indicating what he wanted. Seth opened his bite-swollen lips, greedily took his fingers into his mouth, then proceeded licking and sucking at them. Once satisfied Richie removed his fingers and got back on his knees between Seth’s legs. Slowly he started rubbing Seth’s entrance with one finger, teasing him, then ever so carefully he pushed the digit in.

  
“Fu– Richard, need more,” Seth spoke wantonly; his pupils blown and darkened with unaltered lust, biting on his lower lip. Richard started moving his finger, carefully opening him further before he added a second one. Seth’s throbbing length was dripping, its veins bulging, and he was tugging on Richie’s hair, begging him for more. Richard licked the precum away, causing Seth’s cock to jerk.

  
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” Seth bemoaned breathless, staring down at Richie with hooded eyes. Richie’s breath caught in his throat at the comment. He was sure that his face was flushed red under Seth’s scrutinising stare. Richie took Seth back into his mouth, whilst twisting his fingers upwards, searching for that mind-melting spot inside of him that had Seth coming apart. Richie tried to do something he had never tried before, he did his damnest to reach Seth’s mind with his own, trying to speak to him. The sensation felt foreign and unusual. It was a sensory overload; Seth’s mind was completely open to him, welcoming him, engulfing him with an inexplicable heat. Seth was suddenly sitting upwards, wide eyes seeking Richie’s. Richie caught his heated gaze _‘Want you to come for me, Seth_ ’ he whispered the words unabashedly into his mind following it by sucking his throbbing length, and twisting his fingers inside of him just so, it threw Seth over the edge, body convulsing.

  
“Richie–” Seth moaned his name way too vocally. Hot spurts of come filled his mouth. Richard swallowed around him, obsessed with his taste, and how out of it Seth was. Seth was completely undone, grunting hoarsely, whilst his fingers clutched at Richie’s hair, with his legs squeezing him involuntarily. Richie _loved_ how badly Seth clung to him in his moment of pure ecstasy. Enough so that it was becoming his own private kink.

  
Richard had come in his boxers, it was a mess, one he’d deal with later. Languidly Richie set about cleaning Seth, tucked him back in his boxers and pulled his pants up. Seth’s chest was still heaving, his skin flushed and dampened with perspiration. He was lying like a dead weight on top of the hood, unable to pull himself up. Seth looked every bit the way Richie had fantasised about when he’d bought them this car, hell, this had been way hotter than Richie had imagined.

  
Richie could no longer ignore the ache in his knees from kneeling down for so long, he forced himself to his feet, his legs protested under his weight. Gently, he wrapped Seth’s legs around his own waist and pulled him up into a sitting position. Seth slid his arms around Richie’s neck then started placing feather-like kisses on his neck, murmuring unintelligibly against his skin. Richard lifted him up, carrying his weight, and walked them into the safehouse.

  
“You tell anyone about this–” Seth gestured a hand between them that was meant to encompass him being carried “–I will make you regret it for years to come, you hear me?” He spoke up, eyeing him with mock sincerity.

  
“I mean, I could just drop you,” Richie added, tone nonchalant as hell. He pretended to actually consider it and loosened his hold on Seth, making him slip an inch within his grasp.

  
“Don’t you dare ya prick!” Seth immediately groused back, his arms and legs tightening around him on reflex. “I don’t think I’ll be able to walk for the next hour.” He heaved a tired sigh as Richie moved them into their room.

  
“Sounds to me like I’m holding all the cards here. I think Imma do whatever I damn well please.” Richie flashed him a devilish smile, holding onto Seth a little bit longer, even though he could easily place him down on top of the bedcovers already, but riling him up was just endlessly entertaining.

  
“Whatever, I’ll kill anyone you tell.” Seth shot back, giving him a one-shouldered shrug. “As long as I get to eat them then it’s fine by me,” Richie joked, grinning mischievously at him, trying to gauge Seth’s reaction. “You gonna take ‘em to dinner first or go about it like you did with me?” Seth huffed back indignantly, then his mind seemed to catch up with his mouth. “You meant feeding not eati–” he cut himself off, his Adam’s apple bobbing deliciously.

  
“Why, you offering?” Richie whispered huskily against Seth’s throat, unable to stop his eyes from flashing golden. _Oh, this is way too much fun._ Seth was squirming in his hold; his heartbeat gone through the roof. Richard had to focus very hard to keep his fangs in check.

  
“What? No. Yes? Maybe,” Seth rasped every possible answer there was to the question, sounding rather flustered. He moved back, confusion and want had spread across his features. “I mean, you don’t wanna. Do you want to? Ya don’t. Right?” Seth mumbled, closing the space between them once again. Richard inched closer to the bed and carefully lowered Seth on top of it.

  
“No.” _Yes_. His fangs were starting to extend, mouth grinding and shifting, he could barely control himself. Not with Seth’s pulse beating a hypnotising melody in his eardrums. Richie turned around and exited the room instantly.

  
“Fuck! Richie… Come on man, I didn’t mean to–” Seth’s voice echoed from the room then was cut off as Richie moved further away. It had been a _while_ since he had fed. Richie stalked back to the garage, popped the trunk, opened the compact cooler, and snagged himself a bag of blood. He drained the entirety of it in one go. After emptying another, he made his way back into the safehouse and took a much-needed shower, what with the very uncomfortable situation he was still sporting in his boxers. After taking a quick shower, he put on a pair of comfy sweatpants, forgoing boxers.

  
Richard entered the living room with its lights dimmed, an old antique table lamp cast the space in a warm orange glow. Seth was sitting on the whiskey brown leather sofa, his legs propped up on an old wooden barrel that was functioning as a coffee table. He was drinking beer, completely engrossed in the motion picture that was playing on the telly. Richie walked up to the sofa and sat himself down, he manoeuvred himself around until he was resting his head in Seth’s lap, and laid his legs over the arm rest.

  
“What we watching?” Richie asked by way of making conversation, he had his eyes closed, not caring one bit about what was on the TV.

  
“The Killers,” Seth replied, his fingers playing with the label of his beer bottle absentmindedly. “Want me to grab you a beer?” He asked after a moment. Richie just shook his head, not opening his eyes, feeling like he could drift off at any moment.

  
“I haven’t been eh… exactly dealing well with the whole culebra thing,” Seth suddenly started broaching the subject, sounding tad apprehensive. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around–” he heaved a deep sigh “–everything ya know. I know it’s been way harder for you than it has been for me. Obviously.” Seth went on, the muscles of his thighs tensing slightly under Richie’s head. Richie had yet to reply though patiently waited for Seth to get to his point.

  
“I mean let’s not beat around the bush, I’ve been vocal about it all. However, I realised that in my head, I’ve always excluded you from _them_. Even with everything that has happened I kept viewing you as _my_ Richie. For the most part you’re still _you,_ to me. However, I never told ya that straight up. Culebra or not, you’re still the same Richard I’ve known my whole life. Always will be Richie,” Seth spoke quietly, sounding nothing but genuine. One of his hands had started combing through Richie’s hair, massaging his scalp absentmindedly.

  
“Also, I’ve been doing the math in my head, and I know that it has been a while since you’ve fed. I know you don’t feel comfortable doing that with me around, but I want you to know that you’ve always got me, alright?” Seth admitted, suddenly holding his wrist above Richie’s mouth. Richie’s eyelids snapped open, gazing at the utterly tempting veins and artery that were pulsing rhythmically above him. Richard carefully grasped Seth’s wrist, brought it down to his lips–noticing Seth’s heartbeat sky-rocketing–he placed a gentle kiss on the skin, then moved Seth’s hand towards his chest, letting the palm rest above his heart.

  
“I appreciate the offer Seth, but I already fed, and besides I don’t want to hurt you.” He replied, craning his neck to look Seth in the eyes. Seth bent down towards him, his hand caressing Richie’s chest, and started kissing him lazily.

  
“I’m _your_ Richie, huh?” Richie asked breaking their kiss for a moment, grinning way too smugly at him.

  
“Shut up,” Seth replied with heated eyes, before deepening their kiss, pulling Richie further into his embrace.

  
-  
  


  
They had packed their bags. Boxed Eddie’s personal items, including everything from his shop. It had taken them two full days. They had decided to store Eddie’s belongings. Both not wanting to rid themselves of any of it. Due to sentimental value or not, neither spoke upon the matter.

  
Seth was doing a last check around Eddie’s place to make sure they wouldn’t forget anything, whilst Richie was loading up the car, when he noticed one of the floorboards creaking in their supposed room. He crouched down and tried to lift it, but it wouldn’t budge. He snatched his knife from around his ankle and slid its tip under the board. It took some effort but at last the board gave and popped open. Just as Seth had suspected there was a narrow space underneath it. Shoving his entire arm in the opening, he patted until he felt a rigid, dusty outline of a box of some sorts. The surface of the material felt leathery to the touch. Seth wound his fingers around it, as best as he could, and wiggled it out. Said box was an old and very worn small suitcase, which was indeed made from leather.

  
“No frikkin way!” Seth swiped the thick layers of dust and cobwebs off. Unintentionally creating a cloud of fine and dry particles in the air, sending himself into a forceful coughing fit as it invaded his airway. He flicked the two locks on top to open the case.

  
Seth was faced with an old yellowed and somewhat faded photograph of a very young Richie. Richie was sat on top of his father’s shoulders, wearing a bright green sweater with a purple dinosaur decorating it. Flashing the camera, a bright smile with one of his incisor teeth still missing. He must’ve been around three or four years old. Something deep within Seth ached for that kid, for everything he had had to endure since having that picture being taken. Aside from the photograph there were some of his old clothes and Richie’s–and later also Seth’s–favourite nightmare-repelling and source-of-comfort stuffy, Mr. Gecko. Seth placed everything carefully back inside the case locked it, and took it with him.

 **  
**After hearing Richie’s plans for them, Seth had contacted Kate. They were all to meet near the border. Richie drove them whilst Seth went over the remodelling plans and schedules for their car dealership, or well their soon-to-be gallery. Richie had used that prodigious intellect of his and constructed a solid business and revenue model. Seth had to admit that his partner had taken every detail into consideration. All aspects of their newly owned business were accounted for. Not only were they going to be selling cars, they were also going to be providing multiple services to their prospective customers to keep them coming back, instead of having one-time customers only.

 **  
**Once they had arrived at their destination, they started unloading the Mustang. Switching it for an RV, the type with custom made black tinted-windows–for obvious reasons–actual beds, a kitchenette stacked with food, and a small but comfortable sitting area. They met up with Kate and Scott, who were going with them. Richie had explained that he’d bought them a house, some place safe, to call home. The two of them had been the cause of almost everything that had happened to the remaining Fullers, they’d decided that the least they could do was to take care of them, even if it was just to some extent.

  
Also, Seth figured that Richie probably wanted to keep an eye out on the young culebra as well. With Santánico and every other culebra being gone, just the two of them remained. Richie and Scott set about loading their luggage, whilst Seth had approached Kate. Considering what they had gone through, and with the way they had parted, there was a lot to be sorted out between the two of them. Besides, they were the two remaining humans in their little ragtag group. Seth needed to know how Kate was holding up under the circumstances. What he hadn’t expected was for Kate to actually hug him by way of greeting. There were some traces of guilt in her eyes. But as far as Seth was concerned, she had nothing to feel guilty about. They were just kids thrown into an unusual and insane adult world that they should never have had to witness.

  
They had driven four full days, pit stops included, each taking a turn to drive the RV. Seth couldn’t remember who had come up with the idiotic rule that the driver got to pick the music. But after having Scott drive for two hours and having to listen to his shitty music, Seth had almost shot up the radio. Just as he’d drawn his gun to do so Richie had pulled him into the small bathroom. Admittedly, it had been a lucky thing that Kate had been asleep and Scott had been too busy drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, bouncing his head to the shrill obnoxious sound, that was supposed to pass for music.

  
Seth’s short fuse might have had to do with being cooped up inside an RV for _four days straight_ , or being stuck with two teenagers, or not being able to do whatever the hell he wanted with Richie. Though after their little bathroom ‘rendezvous’ he’d chilled down considerably. It had left Richie feeling way too cocky for his own good. But Seth couldn’t find it in him to care or be bothered.

  
Finally, they’d arrived at their final destination, the _Cayo District_ in Belize. The house Richie had bought them was set in San Ignacio. Richie had been endearingly excited as he’d spoken of the many old sites they could visit, such as _El Castillo_ at the Xunantunich site. They just _had_ to give up one temple for another, Seth had rolled his eyes at him, but refrained from making any jests. If this was the paradise his partner had envisioned and if this was what made him happy, then Seth had nothing to complain about. It didn’t escape Seth’s mind either that they were located near a green _Iguana Conservation_. Richard and his love for lizards… some things–luckily– just never changed. Seth figured the two of them were now representing the geckos here, at least, the two of them knew they were.

  
Couple of nights later, after they’d unpacked most of their belongings and somewhat settled in their new home, Seth had walked into their bedroom and pulled a little surprise he’d had planned for Richie from his drawer, hidden between his clothes. Richie had looked at surprised at the wrapped-up gift. If he had seen it before between Seth’s clothes then he was very good at not showing it. Once he’d ripped the gift wrap paper off, he had fallen silent. From behind his spectacles, enlarged irises stared at the framed picture of his father with young Richie sitting on top of his shoulders.

  
Richie hadn’t spoken a word, but he’d given Seth the warmest and a truly grateful smile, with eyes that shone brightly and a tad watery, as he’d gotten to his feet and hung up the frame above the stone hearth in their living room. It had been the first personal item they’d hung up inside their new residence.

  
  
-  
  


  
“You were so pissed!” Kate snickered, pointing one of her silverware’s at Scott.

  
“Yeah, Of course I was. You guys made me the getaway!” Scott huffed back, still looking upset about the matter as he cut into his rare steak with more force than necessary. “I could’ve helped you out, if you’d just let me.”

  
Seth caught Richie’s eyes from across the dining table, as the two Fullers went back and forth about the job that they had pulled three months ago. He gave him a knowing smile and was met by one that mirrored his own. It was their monthly meet-up. After they had settled in their new hometown, Kate and Scott, had gone off to college. It wasn’t Ivy League or anything close, but they were at least getting an education. Scott still had an undeclared major, though he had started up a rock band, which Seth found very ironically named, _Fanglorious_. Richard gave him shit about it all the time but he was just messing with the kid. Kate had been more interested in the History majors. She had met–her now boyfriend–Rafa. All in all, they were both doing very well.

  
It had been Seth’s idea to hold some sort of family meet-up once a month to catch up with one another, what with both Fullers living on campus. Pulling jobs hadn’t been necessary with their car gallery, but they tended to get antsy from time to time. After having lived on the road for so long and then on the run, this picket fenced life was sometimes just not enough for them. Therefore, after going months without being caught or having to fear the authorities they had decided to pull a job. In Mexico. Not in their hometown.  
  


“Well, I for one, am glad it was you who was driving. These two tend to drive like lunatics.” Kate’s voice brought Seth back from out of his inner reverie.

  
“Who you calling a lunatic?” Richie demanded, quirking a questioning eyebrow at her at the same time Seth had spoken, “Nice try, we all know that _I’m_ the best driver out of the four of us.” Pointing an overly confident thumb at himself, whilst taking the salt from Richie’s outstretched hand to season his steak. The response he’d gotten was all three of them eying him incredulously and bursting out in laughter.

  
“Yea, no one thinks that.” Richie added on. Souring Seth’s mood. “Exactly, you don’t need to think it, yall know it,” Seth retorted, grinning cockily at him.

  
“Aww, no need to be salty, Seth.” Kate added in an overly sweet voice, smiling cheekily at him. To which Scott burst out in laughter tears welling up in his eyes.

  
Seth threw up his hands in response, “Fine, no dessert for anyone but me then.” He replied and took a pleased swig from his glass of whiskey.

  
“What? No!” Both Kate and Scott exclaimed in mock indignation. “Richard, say something!”

  
“Yeah, this ain’t fair man. I’ve looking forward to it all month.” Scott said crossing his arms in front of his chest petulantly.

  
Ever since Seth had assumed the role of being the chef during their monthly dinners, he had made sure to make the culebras variations of the meals they used to eat as humans but could also enjoy as a culebra. For instance, tonight he had made them rare steaks, marinated in a fresh bag of o negative blood, and hot sauce for Richie. With a side of sweet potatoes and mixed vegetables. Kate and himself were having tender medium-rares marinated in savoury homemade garlic sauce.

  
For dessert they were having cheesecake, topped with cinnamon-sugared apple slices with a second layer of soft, ricotta and cream cheese, and a bottom layer of crumbled chocolate pecan cookies. Despite there being no blood involved in his recipe, both Richie and Scott loved it whenever Seth made this specific dessert.

  
“Come on, Seth. Let them have their dessert,” Richie pleaded, grinning at him, showing all teeth. At Seth’s look of an oncoming rebuttal, he hurried and added, “How bout a trade-off, we _all_ get to eat your dessert, the one you made specifically for _us_ , and I’ll show you the surprise I have for you tomorrow night.”  
  


“Ew! Gross!” Scott yelled, looking a mixture between grossed out and uncomfortable. Richie smacked him on the top of his head. “Not _that_ kind of surprise, you perv.” Richie clarified, but then his eyes sought Seth’s, “Unless you want said kind.” He whispered, winking mischievously at him. Kate was snickering behind her hand, shaking her head at the lot of ‘em, and tried to hide her laughter by taking a sip from her glass of wine.

  
Seth held both hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay. Enough of that in front of the kids.” He said in response to Richie, and was met with disgruntled reactions from both Fullers. “Hey! Who are you calling kids?” “Yeah!”

  
“So, do we have a deal?” Richie asked, as if he hadn’t been interrupted, he sat up straight and unrolled his sleeves from around his elbows, buttoning them up again now that he was done eating.  
  


“Hmmm... maybe. Dunno. I have to consider all standing offers,” Seth replied making a weighing motion with his hands, feigning being caught in a dilemma.

  
Richie raised daring eyebrows at him. “Well it stands for the next—” he looked at his watch “—five minutes, then both offers are off.” Seth squinted one eye at him, “Oh, does it now?”  
  


“Okay! Time to leave, or you know, for you two to get to your room! You know the giant one that’s far away from here.” Kate remarked as she pushed her chair away from the dining table.

  
“Yeah, let’s! Oh, by the way, I wanted to let you hear our new song!” Scott spoke up as he followed suit, trailing back into the living room behind Kate.

  
“Don’t take too long, please!” Kate’s voice echoed from the living instantly after Scott’s comment.

  
Leaving them both in a fit of laughter.

  
  
-  
  
  


They all had gotten to eat their mouth-watering dessert. Richie had stayed true to his words the following day. That evening, he had taken Seth for a ride. Seth had no idea where they were going to, it was already dark out, and it wasn’t like they had packed much of anything. Besides Seth was getting hungry. After driving for a while, Richard finally pulled their vehicle to a stop. “We’re here.” He said as he averted his gaze from the windshield to find Seth’s eyes. Richie’s eyes shone brightly with an inexplicable emotion; Seth was having a hard time placing what it was.

  
“Lead the way.” Seth spoke up after a moment, eying Richie expectantly. Richie just nodded and stepped out of the car. He hurried to Seth’s side to help him open his door. Which was a weird thing for him to do. Seth was rather confused. Anticipation built within him, thickening the longer Richie stayed quiet and kept looking at him with that intense gaze of his. Seth’s heartbeat started elevating, he feigned coughing as if to clear his throat, meanwhile doing his best to hide the sound of his pulse from Richie’s knowing ears. Seth was about to make a comment to lift the mood or ask for some clarification but then Richie was already walking, motioning with his head for Seth to follow. Seth followed him down the parking lot and up to the beach where he came to stand still.

  
“What you felt like going for a swim?” Seth asked jokingly, smiling at Richie, and trying to gauge his reaction. “I have been thinking for some time,” Richie started, entirely ignoring Seth’s previous question. Seth wasn’t going to lie; he was starting to get real nervous here. He was trying very hard to keep a cool demeanour, but it was getting harder as the seconds passed and Richie remained utterly cryptic.

  
“You know how we always spoke about what we’d do once we had pulled our final job?” Richie asked rhetorically. Seth could feel his heart pound in his chest. What if Richie had decided that he’d had enough. That this picket fenced rhythm of a life and the once-in-while-job they pulled on the side was no longer enough. Seth was wracking his mind, going through his memory rolodex trying to find a moment, a day, or month that could be the cause. Or perhaps it was the sum of total that he should be pinpointing.

  
“Seth?” Richie’s husky voice shook him from his thoughts. “Yeah?” He replied, unintelligibly. “Focus for a sec,” Richie somewhat chided him, before he continued, not knowing that he had all of Seth’s focus on him–as always. “You used to daydream of us sitting on a beach, with blue agave, drinking cocktails.” Richie elaborated, only confusing Seth further. Because, yes, Seth did remember that, but he couldn’t figure out what that had to do with the present. Seth just nodded in reply, unsure of what he should say. “We’re in our own paradise. I think I speak for the both of us if I say that we’re happy here, but, the one thing we haven’t been able to do has been just that!” Richie finished.

  
Seth eyed him quizzically. He wanted to shake him, hell, shake the answer out of him if he could. Because what the hell was it that he was saying? They haven’t been able to do what? “What?” He uttered dumbfounded, scratching the back his head, and shifting his weight from one leg to the other.

  
“Well, I haven’t exactly been able to go to the beach with you, for obvious reasons.” Richie started explaining. Which, sure, it was true. Laying on the beach equalled Richie going poof to dust, and becoming one with the beach. Therefore, they had avoided that and the likes by all means. It wasn’t like Seth was holding his breath to do that anyway. Richie took his hand, remaining quiet as he guided them towards the water. The wind was picking up as they got closer. Seth fell silent and came to a sudden halt as he took in the sight before him, his hand going slack in Richie’s. Richie tightened his grip, holding on for the both for them, as he turned his head towards Seth.

  
“Since we’ve got to do it with just the moonlight and no blue agave’s around, I thought it might all be just the same by bringing you here,” Richie spoke, a hint of a smile lacing his words. Seth knew that if he were to look up, he’d see that same intense gaze he’d seen before, fixed on him right now. But Seth couldn’t avert his gaze at the moment, he was left speechless, and emotion tightened his throat for a second. He was staring at the water alight with bioluminescent plankton, glowing a stunning electric blue. The colour of the gentle waves was the same as Richie’s eyes. “Richie,” Seth spoke finally, his voice coming out scratchy, laced with emotion, his hand tightened his grasp.

  
“Come on, got one more thing to show you,” Richie said as he started pulling him down the beach. Seth followed suit, ignoring the sudden protesting growling of his stomach. They came to a stop at a white dining table, lit up by decorative string lights that formed a rectangle above the secluded temporary dining area. There were plates and silverware already placed on top of it, a candle shone brightly in the centre. From behind Richie a woman appeared, dressed in chefs clothes.

  
“Thought it’d be nice to have someone else cook for you tonight, since you’re always the one cooking.” Richie said as they sat down. They were served course after course. It was like a cheesy scene stolen straight from out of a rom-com flick. But Seth was too busy enjoying himself to care about it. The whole night was well-planned. Every aspect had been taken into consideration. Each moment linked to something they had spoken of in the past. Seth had had no idea that Richie had been planning any of this or would pull something like it. It was _so_ Richie. Seth fucking loved him for it. For this and more.  
  


  
-  
  


They had lived together for over a year. Scott and Kate were still happily studying at college. They visited them every month. Scott’s rock band was performing nowadays, even attracted fans of their own. Kate and Rafa were still going strong. One night when he’d come around to pick up Kate for a formal, Richie–unbeknownst to Seth–had taken Rafa to the side and given him the speech. The one about ripping his throat off his body if he even so much as dared to mistreat Kate, let stand break her heart. A bit later they all had fallen silent as Kate had entered the room in her formal gown. She had looked breath-taking.

  
Seth had escorted them to Rafa’s car and once Kate had gotten in, he’d pulled the kid to the side. “ _Now you listen to me,”_ Seth had started, a threatening finger shoved into Rafa’s chest. _“You’re bringing her home, here, at midnight. On the dot. Like fucking Cinderella. Exactly at midnight, not a second after. You hear me_?” Seth had asked, hovering over him, causing the kid to swallow audibly and nod his head vigorously.

  
“ _If you fail to do so, I will track you down with my shotgun and it’ll be your remains left on the staircase after midnight, not a shoe or– or whatever.”_ Seth had laid on, really sticking to the fairytale analogy. Kate might have, at some point, forced them all to watch the ‘ _A Cinderella Story_ ’ chickflick during one of their movie nights. Damn kids.

  
But the novelty of their new life was slowly, with each passing month, wearing off. They no longer pulled any jobs. The thrill wasn’t the same, nor did they really need the money, and they could no longer endanger the kids. They had made a life of their own. Free of the bullshit. One that could be called a semi-normal one. However, Seth noticed that Richie would emerge himself in his work with the car gallery and their offshore shell companies. It was starting to take a toll. It’s what led Seth to call one of his contacts to ask around, and see if there was something they could do. A job that would be more meaningful and lasting. He’d managed to reconnect with one of his old friends from back in the day, one he’d met back in their juvie days.

  
“Alright, get this, I spoke with Zack the other day and he got me thinking about this new position we could both take.” Seth started, talking as he’d entered their study room. Richie had yet to look up from his desktop. “Zack?”

  
“Yeah, remember Top-bunk Zack from juvie?” Seth elaborated, resting the palms of his hands on top of the bureau, looking at Richie expectantly.

  
“Hm, yeah.” Richie replied, not sounding all that interested. “Kay, get this. We work as mercenaries. It’ll be just you and me. Zack mentioned a job that I think will finally pique your interest,” Seth remarked sounding a bit more agitated than he’d care to admit. Which had Richie meeting his eyes at last. He raised his brows prompting him on.

  
“It’s tracking human traffickers.” Richie’s brows shoot up into his hairline at that piece of information. “We fake being in the business. We free the captives. You get to kill the bastards, going full culebra for all I care, and it would also be a welcome change from all the blood bags. Don’t think I haven’t noticed your growing dislike for them.” Seth went on, straightening himself up as he moved towards the side table where they kept their expensive drinks. He grabbed two glasses, and poured them both bourbon, then walked back and held one to Richie. Richie took it without a word and waited for Seth to go on.

  
“Hell, we can even steal the money those bastards have on ‘em and give it to the humans we free. Do some good and kill some assholes in the process. Whad’ya say?” Seth asked, taking a sip of his drink, savouring the taste.

  
“Do we work for ourselves in this hypothetical scenario?” Richie inquired, taking a swig of his own glass. “Bet ya ass we do, in the hypothetical and actual scenario!” Seth confirmed, smiling smugly. It was a good fucking deal. It would get them out of their rut, shaken things up, and have them do more than just exist. Seth also figured that Richie really would love drinking fresh human blood. Seth had offered, many times. Many nights. But Richie had never taken him up on the offer. Drawing a line. Seth understood _why_ Richie didn’t want to drink from him, he never wanted Seth to feel like he viewed him as a walking bloodbag, like the other culebras did. But he couldn’t help but to think, on some level, that maybe Richie just didn’t like the taste of _his_ blood. Though that could be his former insecurity talking. No matter, Seth had decided to respect his wishes and had stopped offering all together.

  
“Okay, I’m in. But we plan everything beforehand and stakeout the targets like we always do.” Richie said and got up to his feet, raising his glass to his in a silent toast.

  
“Exactly, partner! You get what this is, right? The Geckos are back in business!” Seth spoke excitedly, laying down his glass and moving to pull Richie into his embrace.  
  
  


**-  
  
**

**  
**“Got you’re balls on?” Seth asked, sawn-off shotgun resting on his shoulder, cocking his head to the side to take in his partner. They were standing before reinforced twin doors, about to enter an exclusive–invite-only–meeting with some of the top human traders in the business. Seth’s pulse was racing as if it was a _Formula One_ vehicle. They were about to blow this place up like the fucking fireworks on the 4th of July.

  
“Screwed on tight.” Richie confirmed, giving him a sideways grin, straightening up he raised his semi-machine gun with one hand and allowed for his fangs to extract, his face contorting and morphing into the killer machine he himself was.  
  


As if on cue they opened the iron twin doors simultaneously and strode down the hallway, like hunters stalking their prey. The moment they were seen by the bodyguards, well, it was already too late for any of them to raise their guns. Their firearms were already raised and blasting. Shot after shot penetrated the silence of the room. Enveloping the meeting room with fresh coatings of blood and guts everywhere. Richie took off from Seth’s side within the blink of an eye and set about tearing into the throat of the asshole that had been calling the shots. Seth stood back as he watched his head being torn off. “Guess this an all you can eat buffet now, huh?” Seth remarked jokingly, whilst reloading his shotgun. Richie slowly looked up, grinning devilishly at him, showing all teeth and fangs covered in blood. “Yeah, you’re the dessert. Why don’t you go and free the humans, Seth? You know, do _your_ part?” Richie shot back. Cocky little shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dunno why but I fell in love with the scene of the night before Richie's birthday and have been waiting for more than a month to share that with yall!  
> Fun-fact: the Xunantunich (El Castillo) site in the Cayo District and the Green Iguana Conservation actually exist! As do bioluminescent beaches, though I couldn't find them in Belize during my research, but for the sake of this fictive work they do lmfao, this is their view:
> 
> Not gonna lie I'm truly sad and happy that this has (finally) come to an end, it's so bittersweet, I'm gonna miss these idiots so so much. Make sure to let me know what you thought of this crazy ride of a fic! Kay, byee <3


End file.
